There just isn’t anything better than a cold drink on warm summer night. Am I right? The next time you entertain in your home, try adding a little something extra to your ice cubes to extend a theme or flavour right down to your drinks. Summertime entertaining is more relaxed and casual as we gather and chill with family and friends. Have fun with your cube creations, integrating spicy, salty or sweet. An interesting addition to ice cubes are herbs, like Rosemary. The aromatic flavours of the herb becomes infused in the drink as the ice cube melts creating another flavour dimension.     You can also try vegetables, like cucumber, and splash it into a fresh glass of Pimm’s.     Fruit also works wonderfully as a lovely colour burst. Raspberries add a sweetness to a drink and cherries make for a fun conversation piece. You could also try blueberries, blackberries or melon. Experiment and see what works and what gives the flavour and colour you’re looking for.     Thinly slice lemons and freeze in a muffin tin to create rounds that gradually release a wonderful lemon flavour as your guests sip their drinks. You could also try lemon or lime rind to add colour and zest without adding too much citrus taste.     So, what will you try for your creation?

Fun Cubes How To:

• choose what you’d like to put into your ice cubes (think broadly and have fun with it)
• use purified water
• boiling the purified water and then pouring into the cube trays may help to make the cube more translucent, but if you are strapped for time (or just don’t want the hassle), the water doesn’t need to be boiled
• pour water into ice cube tray filling each halfway
• insert your fruit, herb, vegetable, chili…whatever you like into each
• freeze until frozen (about 2-3 hours)
• remove from freezer and fill remainder of each cube to the top
• return to freezer to freeze second layer
• to get the circular lemon cubes, thinly slice your lemon, or lime, or other citrus fruit
• place each in a muffin tin
• fill water just enough to lift the citrus up a bit (this prevents lemon from sticking to the bottom)
• freeze
• remove muffin tin from freezer and let stand at room temperature for a few minutes. This will allow the ice cube to soften so removing from the tray is easier
• serve!

That’s it! An easy and fun twist for summertime entertaining. Enjoy.