Amp up your summer ice cubes with these 10 cool ideas.

A scorching Summer calls for cool beverages – preferably iced. But where’s the fun in run-of-the-mill ice cubes? Sure, they cool things down, but they also dilute many an iced coffee or a cocktail, which is not okay. This is where flavored ice cubes enter the scene – they’re easy on the eyes and add more taste than water ever did. Impress guests (and yourself) with these 10 flavored ice cube ideas.

Coffee

Cool down your coffee without diluting it! Freeze coffee that you would normally drink hot and throughout a sizzling week, use the cubes in your daily cup or blend them into a smoothie for some extra coolness and caffeine.

Herbs

Wow a crowd by adding chopped herbs to an ice-cube tray. Cool water with cubes infused with chopped mint leaves and dried ginger and bring extra taste and sophistication to the table.

Coconut Water

Coconut water has an electrolyte balance similar to human blood, so it’s super nourishing. Add coconut water ice cubes to an smoothie or glass of water in place of regular water ice cubes for a refreshing energy kick.

Colorful Fruit

For a beautiful presentation, add raspberries and blueberries or slices of pineapple, mango, and other sweet fruit to an ice-cube tray. They not only make a glass of water look festive but also leave it with a fruity hint that intensifies with each sip.

Edible Flowers

This one is mostly for show. The summer is all about outdoor barbecues, pool-side treats, and nature. Ice cubes with colorful edible flowers sprinkled in simply fits the bill.

Lemon Juice

Save the slice. Freeze lemon juice, and cool down on a blistering Summer afternoon with a tall glass of water with lemon ice cubes.

Old Wine

Old wine can be salvaged! Freeze remaining wine into cubes and melt them on the stove top into recipes that call for wine. And don’t dilute that sangria with water ice cubes, use red wine ice cubes instead to retain the alcohol level (very important) and taste.

Wheat Grass

It may be one of the healthiest juices on earth, but it sure doesn’t have a shelf life. Wheatgrass in its liquid state goes rotten quite quickly. Freeze the juice into cubes and use them in smoothies or use them to cool fruit and vegetable juice, all the while offering you some blood-cleansing benefits.

Milk

Milk ice cubes can be added to a hot cup of coffee or tea to cool it down but bring up the richness of the drink.

Chocolate

Melt dark chocolate, let cool to room temperature, and freeze into cubes. Toss the frozen chocolate cubes into a glass of milk. As the chocolate melts, you have yourself an increasingly richer chocolate milk that is as fresh and cooling as it is decadent and delicious.

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

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We know – it’s at the top of your to-do list. How to make clear ice cubes.

Clear ice is all the rage. When you’re a foodie, every detail counts. And what could be more attractive than stylish, unusual hunks of clear ice in your fancy cocktail?

So what’s the secret to clear ice, anyway? The answer is two-fold: pure water and slow freezing. You need to start with filtered or distilled water. Then, for extra insurance, boil the water before pouring it into trays. (Some recommend boiling the water not once, but twice, for extra, extra insurance. Seems like overkill to me. But then again, you have chosen to make clear ice.) Additionally, if the water goes into the freezer still hot, this slows down the freezing time, which assists in making crystal clear ice. Easy, right?! (Just don’t put fully boiling water into plastic trays, ahem.)

Now you’ve got the secret to clear ice. But what about the shape of the ice? Wouldn’t it be sexier to have carved ice cubes as opposed to cubes from ordinary old trays? Alcademics recommends putting your (distilled, boiled, still warm) water into a cooler and placing the whole thing in the freezer. Follow their step-by-step instructions for carving the ice.

Howcast recommends using muffin tins for larger and longer lasting ice. Who wants a diluted drink? Genius!

The site American Drink also has some good tips for making perfect ice, such as keeping your freezer clean to prevent the ice from absorbing wayward smells and buying better quality ice trays, such as these from Tovolo.

Enough said, I think it’s time for that perfect cocktail on the rocks!

“For some ridiculous reason, it is considered ‘deep’ to value intellect, and shallow to value ‘beauty’. Beauty is much harder to find, impossible to imitate, and incomparable in its effect on the human spirit.” – Goldfarb on cooking, 2009.

Image: Buena Vista Images

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When I first got my puppy Leo, I had no idea how bad the teething process would be. He wanted to chew constantly – destroying my rug, my kitchen table, his puppy toys, a pair of flip flops, the wall and everything else he could sink his teeth into. And every pet store “teething” solution got demolished in a matter of minutes!

Luckily, I eventually discovered some life-saving DIY teething tricks. If you have a new puppy, try these easy solutions to keep his chewing under control – they’ll help his gums feel better, too!

Frozen Carrots

Whether baby carrots or the full-sized variety, many pups love chewing on this healthy treat. Freeze carrots to make them last longer and feel better on their tender gums.

Ice Cubes

My greatest discovery was emptying a tray of ice cubes onto the floor. Not only was it a game for Leo to chase the slippery sliding cube across the wood floor, but once he did the ice in his mouth I’m sure he loved the soothing feeling as he crunched away. Even though Leo is way beyond teething now, he still loves playing with ice cubes.

Frozen Rag

You can make your own teething chew toy with an old rag or wash cloth. Douse it in water, tie it in a knot and throw it in the freezer overnight. Once it’s frozen hard, give it to your dog. He’ll love chewing it and the game of attempting to untie the knot with his teeth should keep him occupied for awhile. Once it melts and becomes soft again, you can douse it in water again and refreeze.

Images: I Go Splat, SoggyDan

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