Bar
ice must be
clean,
fresh, and
flavorless. A nice
rule of thumb for parties is that you always need more ice than you have. Buy or make
extra.
In
cocktails, ice goes in the
cocktail glass first. That way the drinks get cooled on the way without any unnecessary
splashing. Ice can be
crushed,
shaved,
cracked, or
cubed, depending on the drink. If you can store only one kind of ice, buy
cubes. Most
highballs,
old-fashioneds, and on-the-rocks drinks call for
ice cubes. Use cracked or cubed ice for
stirring and shaking, crushed or shaved ice for special tall drinks,
frappes, and other drinks that will be
sipped through a
straw. Both manual and electric
ice crushers are available, but you can easily make your own crushed version by putting cubes in a tightly closed
plastic bag, wrapping the bag in a
towel, and
smashing the ice with a
rolling pin or
hammer. Since cubed ice is the most readily available, particularly to home
bartenders, it can be used in almost all
mixed drink recipes unless otherwise specified.
The Basic Bar index...or on to
How to Chill a Glass