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Ice Spheres Revisited

Randy — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:21:29 +0000

A while back, I posted a lengthy description about How To Make Ice Spheres. If you recall, spheres of ice that fill your glass originated in Japan where they are hand-carved behind the bar. The large spheres keep drinks cold with very slow dilution. Not wanting to risk slicing a finger, I opted for alternatives to carving, but the best alternative is a very expensive ice melting device. So, I explored slow-molding options and until recently had settled on a two-part 3-sphere ice tray to pull this off. My tedious process often involved refreezing mis-shapen “eggs” in order to get the proper spherical aesthetic—until now!

Enter the Muji silicone Ice Ball mold. This unique and inexpensive mold does a fantastic job making spheres without the problems and hassles associated with a thin plastic tray. I was so happy to finally see these in stock at Muji online again that

Take a bigger gulp of this article. . .

How To Make Spheres of Ice

Randy — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:21:26 +0000

In a recent article, I described the importance of ice in your cocktail, describing the different kinds of ice you may want to use depending on what you are drinking. If you have ever visited the Bradstreet Crafthouse or a handful of other fine destinations, you may have marveled at the drinks that feature incredible spheres of ice—smooth glacial planetoids that literally span the entire width of the glass. Much more than mere aesthetics, these arctic wonders are functional, keeping their cocktails cold while minimizing dilution. That’s because a sphere has the smallest possible surface area for a given volume. Less surface area means less melt, and that results in longer sip time without loss of flavor or temperature.

So how does a bar create a 3-inch sphere of ice? The only answer, up until a couple of years ago was that they carved it! The ice sphere trend started

Take a bigger gulp of this article. . .