Post #674196 by Limbo Lizard on Fri, Apr 12, 2013 10:41 AM

I crush my ice well in advance (in a Lewis bag), put it back in the freezer. Let it get really cold and hard, again. You don't want your ice to be "warm" or "wet" - solid, but soft and only a little below the melting point.

As Swanky said, when using the blender, always add the ice last.

I seem to be able to run the blender 3 - 5 seconds, and end up with a very cold drink, proper dilution and consistency, and with a good bit of ice left. I think this is because, 1) I use ice that is fresh from the freezer and still very cold, and 2) I use lots of ice, so that the liquid is cooled to 32°, before much of the ice warms to the melting point. If you're worried about using too much ice to fit the glass, you can always strain it, then dump in enough of the remaining ice to top off the glass. Too much ice is curable. Too little, and you have a cool (not cold), watery ruined mess.

(P.S. I got my "education" on ice in drinks, over 30 years ago, from the 1972 Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide, 'ICE', pages 25 - 26. Worth reviewing, if you have a copy at hand. It was my drink "bible", back in the pre-Grog Log days.
As I re-read it now, I note that his advice about julips and swizzles, in the last paragraph, is functionally correct. But his explanation reveals that ol' Vic wasn't much of a physicist. :wink: )

"The rum's the thing..."

[ Edited by: Limbo Lizard 2013-04-12 11:05 ]