We enjoy antique shopping. It’s often furniture that most people associate with antiques, and we are constantly on the lookout for new pieces. But in addition to all of the items you might find to decorate your home, there is an incredible variety of glassware and miscellaneous bar tools to uncover. You won’t always find bargain prices, but you can find unique items.

So, what does this have to do with ice? In our last Drink Of The Week we poured our cocktail over crushed ice and mentioned that we crush ice by hand. We hope we can inspire you to do the same. A few weeks ago we were walking through an antique show looking at “primatives” when we spotted a turned piece of maple that was just what we needed.

A week or so beforehand we picked up a Lewis Bag. This simple device is basically a thick, natural canvas bag that is used to make crushed ice. First, you take regular ice cubes and place them inside the bag. Then, lay the bag on your counter or bar, fold over the open end and hold it shut with your hand. Finally, take a blunt instrument (like an antique piece of maple) and pound the bag of ice! The more you pound, the finer the crushed particles.

When you think you have reduced the cubes to evenly crushed pieces, stop pounding and open the bag. When you do, you will notice something interesting is going on. The ice is dry. This why we love using the Lewis Bag. The canvas wicks away moisture as you crush the ice. This results in colder ice pieces that are less apt to water down your drink. Use the ice immediately. Remember, crushed ice can quickly cool a drink, but it also melts faster than large chunks.

The Lewis Bag is available from a few online retailers. You can also search for Tag Bag which is how ours is labeled. Or, just make your own using natural (not dyed) soft, thick canvas and the appropriate sewing techniques. It will have to be strong since you’ll be pounding through it and you’ll obviously need a mallet of some kind. You could look for something similar to the one Chris McMillan used when he made his famous Mint Juleps at the Ritz-Carlton Library Lounge. Or, do what we did, and find the appropriate tool at an antique sale. Some people simply use the handle of their muddler.

Pounding ice cubes into submission isn’t for everyone. Alternatives to this method involve more mechanical techniques. First, there are large capacity ice crushing machines. These are great for parties and situations where you need a lot of ice crushed quickly. You pour cubes into a hopper and flip the switch. An electric motor turns a hidden mechanism and the machine “eats” the ice and delivers a stream of crushed pieces into a collection bin. A good blender might work, but rapid blade action creates friction and heat and that can cause the ice to melt and get stuck around the walls of the pitcher. Another option is the hand-cranked machine. These can be found occasionally at antique shops. We own the Swing-A-Way Ice Crusher which has a good-sized hopper, a great suction bottom that really works, and a crank that is easy to turn without banging your knuckles. It is molded after the mid-century Metrokane design. We like these because they can be used in small spaces almost anywhere (Mai Tais on the pontoon boat, anyone?).

You can get decent cracked ice by rapping a cube in your hand with the back of a bar spoon—but that’s not the same thing as crushed. It’s hard to get uniform reduction of ice particles without some kind of tool made for the purpose.

We should probably mention that crushed ice isn’t appropriate for every cocktail. In fact, it can easily ruin the balance of dilution in many drinks. Knowing when to use crushed ice isn’t really a mystery, but the proper use of any ice is important. A cocktail will typically call for crushed in it’s recipe when appropriate, and it will be proportioned to take into account the higher dilution rate. Drinks such as the Mai Tai or the Mint Julep are good examples.

Whether it’s the perfect cocktail glass, a vintage shaker or an unusual piece of wood, the items you find at an antique sale can surprise you. Sometimes you’ll find a much-needed tool and other times you’ll come home home with deco bar products of yesteryear. Let me know if you find anything. . . cool. <groan>