We asked our F&B Manager Vasilis Andrikopoulos to give us instruction on how to make at home our own crystal clear ice cubes.
How to store ice cubes ?
Although water is inorganic and its frozen form doesn’t get destroyed we still need to be cautious when storing ice. Ice cubes should remain separated from meat or fish products inside the freezer. Other than the fact that the ice taste and smell will change there is also the danger of getting it contaminated by bacteria living within the frozen organic products.
What to look out for when buying ice cubes?
Buy ice cubes into branded packages and make sure that the company’s producing them details are printed on the bag. The labels should also be stating if the ice is suitable for consumption.
Avoid ice cubes that are packed in homemade bags.
Are there preservatives in ice cubes?
Commercial ice cubes can sometimes contain chemical preservatives. Chloramine (chlorine and ammonia) and chlorine can also find their way into your ice cubes. It is important to use filtered water when producing them or bottled water if possible.
When the ice is not completely transparent is it bad?
Non-transparent ice is not necessarily "dirty". The "white" ice can be due to different reasons like high concentration in salt or incorrect cooling process from an ice machine.
How to make transparent ice cubes?
Many times, the ice cubes we make in our house are not transparent and leave a sediment at the bottom of our glass. This is mostly than water-containined salts.
"Tip": If we boil the water before putting it in the freezer, it will give us transparent "clean" ice cubes.
• Fill the icebox with bottled water.
• Pour it into a saucepan and add a little more water. Heat it until it reaches boiling point and then let it cool for a couple of minutes.
• Fill the icebox with the water while it remains hot and then put it in the freezer for 3 to 4 hours
You can add mint leaves or spices inside the ice by placing them on the ice box before filling it with water.