The classic, as-we-know-it nowaday ice cube really is not a cube at all. It of course depends on its tray but it seems there are always rounded corners and edges, or they are flat, and generally sort of busted. This is why it was exciting to notice that some bars and restaurants are using square ice cubes. They are actually square, hard-edged, perfect little cubes. It seems like something great happens when such detail is put into a drink, where it’s not just about the taste and the temperature, but that every single piece is pivotal in creating the perfect experience. We were grateful to participate in this attention to detail. It made us wonder if this was a new trend for gastronomes or if it was an attempt at reaching back in time to an era where they originated. We wondered where the name “ice cube” actually came from. To say “square ice cubes” is certainly redundant, so what happened? We were so excited to get the above picture, after trying unsuccessfully to take cubes out of our old-fashioneds at various places, putting them on the table, making our friends hold them, just to get a good image of how they are actually shaped. See failed attempts:
Tavern Law offers square cubes, as does The Walrus and the Carpenter and (almost 100% sure) Staple and Fancy Mercantile. While the result is pretty awesome for those detail-obsessed and probably overly observant, the machines are apparently a bit more than temperamental. We’ve learned that the consistently-cubed restaurants have neighbors that also serve these oculary-satisfying squares, and they often share the stock when the generators go astray. For those of us wanting this result at home, Tovolo makes an affordable option that works really well, which is how the above picture came into existence, and why we were able to finally write a blog post on frozen water.
I share your love of square ice cubes.
“To say “square ice cubes” is certainly redundant, so what happened?”
YES! Who made the choice to make a cube have rounded corners?!
This is to date my favorite post, Tomatoes on Tomatoes! It’s all about the tiny details that only few see…
Hey its James from the Hyatt Lodge.
Since you wrote a blog on ice I wanted to share with you my thoughts on it. Ice is probably the single most important component to a drink. it comes down to surface area. The less of it the better because the less watered down a drink will become over time. So for cubes, inch x inch cubes are great for drink preparation (aka any drink that needs to be stirred). One of the bars I am really fond of here in Chicago molds all their own ice. So if you get a drink “on the rock” as the call it, you get one large ball of ice that barely fits into the rocks glass. A generous 2 1/2 oz pour will make this glass look like a full drink yet you will get the desired water content while drinking and you wont overly taint your spirit of choice. For Collins glasses they use rectangular monoliths. The height is about 1/2 shorter than the inside of the glass. the width is almost the diameter of the glass and the depth is about 1/3 to 1/2 of the width. I have also found that these monoliths are great with shaking a drink as well. The perfect cubes work fine but you can get the drink to move as one in the shaker with the monolith, which chills the drink but doesn’t water it down as much. Regardless, they make your drinks look amazing. Basically the prep on these would be blocks of ice. You can use water-filled sheet pans for the monoliths, and if you can find a sheet pan deep enough it should work for the cubes as well. The “rock” is just a large block of ice that you chisel at with a bar spoon until you get a desired shape. you can save the breakings for crushed ice if you desire because even it has its uses. This makes each one unique and in my book special. Finally water quality is HUGE. Most high end cocktail places I know treat water like vodka, triple distilling and filtering it through multiple machines to make sure that only water is left. Well if a bartender can talk this much about ice, I am sure if you put out a blog about a spirit my comment might be more interesting. Finally it was an absolute pleasure having you and your family at my hotel this weekend. I know the circumstances around your visit weren’t ideal, but as a bartender, it is always nice to meet someone who has the same passion for my craft as I do. If you need anything at all let me know and best wishes in your new year.
-James (the barkeep)