Break the Ice: Flavored Ice Cubes to Change Up Your Cocktails

What if melting ice cubes could actually make a cocktail taste better? At Clio, barman Todd Maul has figured out how to do just that, spiking his creative libations with stunningly flavorful cubes infused with dehydrated black lime, crushed candied violets, and other exotic ingredients. “Halfway through the drink, you can change the way you perceive it,” says Maul, whose frozen concoctions are often created with science-lab-ready tools like a centrifuge, a rotary evaporator, and an iSi canister. Adding extra kick to your beverages at home, however, is simple: Just drop a few of these Maul-approved blends into your pitcher, stir, and repeat.

Photograph by Ted Morrison. Styling by Jessica Weatherhead/Team.

1. Strawberry Purée

Blend fresh or frozen strawberries with a touch of lime juice.
Try with › A vodka lemonade, a margarita.

2. Cucumber Purée

Purée the flesh and skin separately in a food processor.
Try with › A Pimm’s Cup.

3. Dried Orange Peel and Cumin

Grind together and add water.
Try with › A lime rickey.

4. Citrus

Squeeze and strain the juice of fresh lemons and limes.
Try with › A gin and tonic, a vodka soda.

5. Honey Simple Syrup

Use a two-to-one ratio of water to unpasteurized honey so the mixture will freeze.
Try with › A bourbon smash, a Tom Collins.

PRO TIPS

• Alternate freezing layers of water with layers of the above ingredients to give the cubes just the right amount of flavor (and a beautiful striped look).

• Maul suggests using silicone trays like the ones from Tovolo, which can be found at Local Root, in Cambridge.

• For clear ice cubes, put hot water through a Brita, cool, then freeze.