My toast to the Ice Box puzzle is purely based on aesthetics. Of course you can premix a bottle of martinis or other favorite cocktail that benefits from being icy cold, and throw it in the freezer. There are a few great recipes out there on doing this really well, which involve pre-diluting your bottled cocktail with some water, so there’s no need to shake or stir it and you can just pour it straight from the freezer into your frosty glass. Give it a try, it’s a great trick for an easy summer drink.

But I made something a little more involved just for fun, using a cubed glass and a clear block of ice to fit inside. I think an even larger block of ice would have been that much better. I created groves in the sides of the ice block too, to mimic the Ice Box pattern, but ice tends to melt while you’re having fun, and next time I’ll cut these grooves even deeper. Aside from the fun aesthetics, this makes a nice martini, too, and could be a great option to pre-bottle and throw in the freezer this summer. Doesn’t that sound ice? Cheers!

Ice Box Martini

1 oz vodka

1 oz gin

½ oz Cocchi Americano

¼ oz orange liqueur or triple sec

8-10 drops blue curacao (optional)

Stir ingredients well with ice to chill and serve in a chilled glass. Add about 30% more distilled water as well by volume if batching for a freezer bottle (about 1 oz of water more per drink)