Icebreakers & ice tools

That depends on the shape you want. For straight blocks out of a large piece you work with an ice pick: the single-point version with a wooden handle gives the most control and is meant for tapping along a fracture line, while the three-point version removes material faster but less precisely. If you want to divide a block into straight slabs, an ice saw or a Japanese ice knife makes more sense; that knife works with a tapping motion on the spine and not with force. For crushed ice, the Lewis bag with a wooden mallet is the simplest route: the canvas absorbs the meltwater, so the ice comes out of the bag dry and grainy rather than wet. If you want speed, choose the ice ball press, which presses a block into a sphere of 55 millimetres within a minute, or the ice stamp that sets a figure into the surface. If you want no meltwater at all, take the reusable stainless steel cubes.

Always work with a block that has been out of the freezer for a few minutes. Crystal clear ice is brittle straight from the freezer and then splinters unpredictably; let it come round until a thin film of moisture forms, and it will break along the line you set. Put the block on a cutting board with a cloth underneath to stop it sliding. Tap small dents in a straight line with the pick and only increase the pressure at the end, then the block falls in two by itself. One large block belongs with spirits you drink neat and with an Old Fashioned, where the whisky can open up slowly without watering down. Crushed ice belongs with a Mojito and with tiki drinks, because it chills fast and lengthens the drink at once. Always scoop crushed ice at the last moment.

Most parts are stainless steel and can simply go under hot water after use. Rinse picks and knives as soon as you have finished, because sugar residue from spilt syrup sticks fast once it dries on. Wooden handles and the wooden mallet do not belong in the dishwasher: the wood takes up water, expands and after a few rounds works loose from the shaft. Wipe those with a damp cloth and let them dry lying flat. Rinse the Lewis bag out with warm water and no soap, because soap residue soaks into the canvas and ends up in your ice later. Then hang the bag up until it is completely dry.

You do not pick up ice with your hands, so if you are starting here you also need ice tongs or an ice scoop. For stirring and building the drink itself, the bar spoons are ready, and anyone who shakes rather than stirs will find the right model with the cocktail shakers. A large ice block also calls for a glass with room for it: the old fashioned glasses are built exactly for that.