Tuesday’s Tip with The Kitchen Whisperer – Crystal Clear Ice Cubes

When’s the last time you looked at an ice cube? No I mean really just looked at it and admired it? Strange question I know but think back to the last fancy schmancy dinner you had at some hoity toity restaurant. Your dinner was pristine with 47 forks. There were more plates than you knew what to do with and at least 4-5 different glasses on the table in front of you.  You aren’t sure what to use first so you often make eye contact to the maître d’ with hopes of grabbing the right fork.  Kinda like how Julia Roberts is in Pretty Woman when she tries to eat snails.

Yeah… that’s pretty much me.  I have some semblance of an idea on what to use when but for me, what always caught my eye was the glasses of ice water.  They were crystal clear – even the ice!  And since we ‘eat’ with our eyes, it seems like that water tastes better than the water we have at home?  But why?  It’s all about perception.

When we get ice out of own freezer it’s cloudy.  But do you know why? Our water isn’t filtered and I hate to break it to you but it most likely contains dust and extra minerals. Our water isn’t the same as well, bottled water. And that my friends is where we start – bottled water in making crystal clear ice cubes.

Now you can easily start with bottled water or filtered water.  So yes you could use your filtered water jug. However you just can’t pour that into the ice trays and freeze.  It’ll still cloud. No you need to take the following steps.

1. In a sauce pan bring either bottled or filtered water to a rolling boil to remove the air bubbles.
2. Once it comes to a rolling boil, shut off the heat, set the pan to the side and let it cool completely.
3. Next bring the pan back to a boil again.
4. Once it boils, shut off the heat and let it cool down again.
5. Finally pour it into ice-cube trays and cover them with plastic wrap to keep any particles from getting in.
6. Freeze and VOILA!  Crystal clear ice cubes.

So I know you’re asking me and yourself “Why in the world would I go through this? Does it taste any different?”  Do it because it’s fancy and schmancy – even if it’s just once.  As for the taste – eh, I think it’s more mind over matter.  It’s more cool than anything!