Ice Machines - Do you ever use one?

**bakerbarber** · 08-04-2012, 08:31 PM

I prefer bagged ice because our city water makes ice that is cloudy with an off taste.

For any drink that needs crushed ice I use a stick blender. We have a top notch Cuisinart that makes a frozen style drink as good as and better than any bar or restaurant.

http://www.google.com/search?q=cuisi...w=1280&bih=675

It handy to have for cooking as well.

The only caveat is that you may need to use a pitcher or larger mug to accommodate the stick blender's size. The end result is always a smooth and uniform ice demolition.

**xraygun** · 08-05-2012, 12:04 AM

Seriously bb, you can't make real crushed ice with that can you? I imagine you can puree a drink with ice, but not crush ice to make a real mint julep? Lay oysters on the half on?
Bag and mallet. Bag and mallet. Bag and mallet.

**SiBurning** · 08-05-2012, 06:03 AM

Ice in a mint julep?

I can understand foo-fooing a margarita, but leave my bourbon alone.

It takes years to make some of them. Leave it neat. No water.

**bakerbarber** · 08-05-2012, 10:17 AM

crush no.. x - The best you could get would be slush or really small shards. Not pea gravel sized ice you're describing.

I hear a bag and mallet works..

Sometimes I just dump bagged ice into the ice-maker tub in my freezer and let it crush the ice for me.

I've not the occasion to lay oysters, Ohio is pretty far from fresh seafood. I have only had them twice during my travels.
Aside from the rare foo-fooing a fruity drink I just use cubes. Even in my bourbon.

I do wish I had a real deal ice-maker that produced purified or super filtered water so I can enjoy clear ice all the time.

**barrycv** · 08-06-2012, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by bakerbarber

I do wish I had a real deal ice-maker that produced purified or super filtered water so I can enjoy clear ice all the time.

It isn't the filtered/pure water that makes it clear. It is the process of how it freezes that makes it clear.

**bakerbarber** · 08-08-2012, 04:16 PM

Tell me more

**SiBurning** · 08-08-2012, 05:37 PM

Never use tap water without at least letting it sit overnight. It has air in it and becomes ugly.

Still, I only use good spring water for my drink ice. Definitely depends on your local water. My biggest pet peeve with ice is how it sublimates in self defrosting freezers, and ends up looking crusty like something from the Grand Canyon and freezer burned.

**xraygun** · 08-08-2012, 11:47 PM

hey Steve how do you make a friggin' mint julep without ice??

That has to be the silliest thing I've ever heard man.

**barrycv** · 08-09-2012, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by bakerbarber

Tell me more

When water freezes to ice, it does so from the outside to in. Whether it is a lake or an ice cube, that's how it goes. As it freezes, it expands & pushes the remaining liquid towards the center. Eventually, the center will get everything from solids to air pushed to its location. Furthermore, as that part expands during freezing, it has nowhere to go (unlike the earlier scenario), so it freezes, expands, & pushes against its solid surroundings, creating cracks.

Look at an ice cube - all around the outside it is nice & clear, but the middle is all white & hazy.

Forget all that nonsense about boiling first and/or filtered water - that doesn't work. Check these out for some good info/background:

http://www.alcademics.com/2012/07/an...e-at-home.html

http://sciencefare.org/2012/07/12/we...mium-ice-home/

**SiBurning** · 08-09-2012, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by xraygun

hey Steve how do you make a friggin' mint julep without ice??

That has to be the silliest thing I've ever heard man.

I'm sure I can be sillier next time.

Anyway, keep a bunch of reusable plastic ice cubes that don't water down the drink, and leave plenty of free space in the freezer for bottles and glasses. But I hate to water down a good bourbon.