It's a bit warm out there friends & yes I know we've been on a bit of a freezer based bender with our tips recently but tis the season & regardless of your tipple of choice, a fancy ice cube is always appropriate & the perfect way to make any drink a bit special. Depending on your tipple of choice the world really is your oyster with tizzied up ice & you can use it to enhance or water down your flavours accordingly.
These guys? We're dropping the pineapple, mint & jalapeño version into zesty ginger beers (alc or non-alc - you do you boo) and are rather partial to the sparkling water & chilli version in a vodka soda - bonus points for doing a fancy chilli salt & lime rim on your glass with that guy.
Ingredients:
- Pineapple Juice
- Sparkling Water
- Fresh Chilli (we used tiny birdseye but you can also do slices of bigger chilli)
- Fresh Mint
- Pickled Jalapeño
- Large/novelty shaped ice cube trays
- Freezer (crazy huh?)
Method:
Gently stuff your ingredients of choice into the ice trays (don't overfill these, you want a good 50/50 ratio of liquid to filling so they don't disintegrate too soon) & top with liquid before freezing until completely solid. Add to glasses just before serving & top with your fave drink.
Some other ideas we love:
- Add dazzle to your glassware by running a cut wedge of lime around the rim and then dipping in salt (flavoured salts are amazing) or sugar depending on your drink
- Use black coffee for your ice cube liquid for the ultimate expresso martini chiller (i know that's not traditional but in 40+ degrees it might be what you need to enjoy that drink)
- Olive brine & a green olive is rather delightful in a vodka & soda for a salty, savoury kick
- Ribbons of cucumber (use your veg peeler to get those) folded into the tray and topped with tonic water for freezing are amazing dropped into a G&T
- Use Lemon or lime juice as the liquid and add some fresh raspberries as a light flavour addition to a jug of cold water (still or sparkling).