Cheers

www.cheersonline.com 35 JULY/AUGUST 2014 | along with Joseph Ambrose. "We were both spending a lot of time cutting ice at our regular jobs, and realized that due to storage of equipment and the hazards of ice cutting, this type of ice was not readily available to many bartenders," omson says. Favourite Ice sells its ice to many Washington, D.C. operators, including José Andrés' inkFoodGroup concepts, Derek Brown's Columbia Room, Adam Bernbach's 2 Birds 1 Stone, and Bourbon Steak. Most popular are the standard 2" cubes and the 1" wide spears, which range from $.50 to $.80 per piece, depending on the volume ordered. Favourite Ice cuts the ice to match the glassware for each client, assuring a perfect fit. Many custom ice providers are regional, but Gläce Luxury Ice Co. in Davis, CA, ships ice cubes and spheres anywhere in the U.S. Each piece is carved from the densest and clearest portion of a 300-lb. block, yielding 300 to 500 pieces, depending on the size and shape. Each case includes 50 shapes, and pricing begins at $100 per case, not including shipping, which comes out to more than $2 a cocktail. Some Gläce customers list the ice along with the other cocktail ingredients to showcase it, or offer it as à la carte option for specialty whiskies, Scotches or Bourbons, the company says. Do bar patrons care that much about the ice used in their drinks? Sylvestre, for one, has been seeing a heightened awareness. "People lift up their glasses, look at the ice, and make comparisons." omson contrasts the awareness among bartenders—who are more concerned with function—with that of guests, who are drawn more to the aesthetics and visual presentation. He uses the example of a $30 Scotch on the rocks served in a double Old Fashioned glass with one giant, crystal-clear ice sphere, vs. the same drink served over a big scoop of "hotel ice" cubes. "Forgetting the tastes and decor," omson notes, "where do you think you're going to feel like someone treated your $30 Scotch with respect?" e concept of craft ice is not yet on the radar of many guests at Session Kitchen, Cerretani says. But he thinks it offers another opportunity for bartenders. "Large-format ice sparks conversation, and gives you an opportunity to engage." English gets a kick out of watching those newbie guests with a cool cube or sphere inside their glasses. "e first time they see great ice, it's adorable." Kelly A. Magyarics, DWS, is a wine, spirits and lifestyle writer and wine educator in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com, or on Twitter and Instagram @kmagyarics Common Ice Mistakes The best ice in the world won't help your operation if bartenders aren't using it properly in the shaker or glass. Cocktail expert Camper English has witnessed lots of ice faux pas in bars, including • Not stirring a drink long enough, and then straining it over one large cube. • Using ice that's been sitting at room temperature,, which is too wet and dilutes a cocktail too quickly. • Adding ice to warm glassware or shakers right out of the dishwasher, which makes it melt too quickly, resulting in overdilution from adding more ice. • Overdoing crushed ice. For instance, crushed ice is a quintessential component of a well-made Mint Julep, English notes, but adding too much of it to a frozen cup does little for the drink. "It's too cold to enjoy— you are basically just drinking bourbon." —KAM Bourbon Steak in Washington, D.C. , above, offers 12 types of ice. Right, head bartender Duane Sylvestre carves ice.

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