Quick Tips for Using Silicone Ice Molds

We’re pretty lo-fi at home and we just make our ice cubes in trays (we don’t have an in-freezer ice maker). So as I was refilling the trays yesterday I was remembering how we used to use these same trays for our Old Fashioned at Clyde Common back in the day, and how some of the staff found them to be a pain in the butt to use.
Now that I’m typing this I’m remembering one guy at the very beginning of my time there who would fill the trays up at the end of the night with boiling water from the coffee machine because he thought his genius process would produce clear ice. Not sure why he never realized the cubes weren’t clear the next day but he did it every night nonetheless. [If you’re doing this at home, just stop and use cold water - you’re not doing your freezer or your frozen food any favors]
So we shot this little video with a couple of quick tips - these little guys are actually super easy to use, I’ve been using them since they hit the market some twenty-odd years ago. I love them and we’ve always got a bunch of them filled and ready to go for cocktails and of course all the culinary uses that we need them for.
#ice #cocktails #homebartending #tovolo #siliconemolds

[@ElMoShApPiNeSs]

Yeah cool but can you talk about Green Chartreuse? I really wanna talk about Green Chartreuse.

[@jeffmorgen]

Don’t you guys ever get tired of talking about green chartreuse?

[@petermcguire4769]

​@@jeffmorgenI just made an Industry Sour, and now I want to talk more about Fernet. But yes, I love Chartreuse as well.

[@stephenseyer4715]

@@jeffmorgen I would also be amenable to talking about amaretto sours if chartreuse is no longer an option.

[@boozeontherocks]

Great tip as always.

[@jeffmorgen]

Thanks bud!

[@purplesusan2602GILL]

Any tips to get the 3 shaped ones out of moulds for Stanley cup ?

[@ApocalypticMerc]

Activity spike from Jeffrey Morgenthaler? Time to annoy people with no interest in bartending by namedropping you again

[@jeffmorgen]

😂😂

[@lunchington]

My biggest issue with silicone ice trays is that they absorb all the smells from the freezer, which transfers into the ice over time. They don't seem to stay fresh for long, despite my best efforts with baking soda and vinegar, running them through the dishwasher, etc. Any tips regarding keeping these things fresh for longer?

[@petermcguire4769]

If your ice is absorbing smells from your freezer/refrigerator, it's a bigger issue with your freezer in general, and the way that air is circulated throughout the system. Get a tray that has a tight fitting lid and it will help mitigate these issues. I only use these types of cubes to shake or stir with, and never serve drinks directly over this ice.

[@jeffmorgen]

Honestly, I hate to say it but this isn’t an issue with the trays, it’s an issue with the cleanliness of your fridge. If it were me, I’d tear everything out of both freezer and fridge, defrost the whole thing, and clean it top to bottom. Great time to toss out any stinky leftovers and refresh the baking soda as well.