williams_john wrote:Here are some tips........



Ice cubes are good for almost all mixing: for shaking, stirring, drinks on the rocks, or with juices and sodas. The larger, thicker surface area makes a cube melt slowly and causes less dilution and it is customary to fill a glass or shaker 2/3 full for best results.
With the help of a Lewis bag, similar canvas sack or a clean towel, cubes can also be pounded into cracked or crushed pieces. The only other thing you need for this is a blunt object (ie. hammer, mallet, muddler) and some unwanted frustration that needs to get out. It's a little bit of work but quite therapeutic.
Smaller than cubes, cracked ice melts faster and adds more water to drinks. Usually this is used when making frozen drinks because cubes can clog blender blade and be inconsistent in the end. Two-thirds to one cup of cracked ice is perfect for a single frozen Daiquiri or Margarita. Typically bagged ice from the store is cracked.