Photo on Flickr by Castaway in Scotland Now
It's hot and the sun is shining. The kids have got the paddling pool out and your thoughts turn to ice cold drinks. Here's a cheap tip to enable you to have enough ice cubes this summer.
Our last fridge freezer had an ice cube maker (may it rest in peace!). This was a wonderful gadget, a bit like a shelf similar to two ice cube trays. Once the ice cubes were frozen, they could be tipped into a tray underneath to be stored until needed. It was such a great idea and it was with a heavy heart I had to consign my fridge freezer to the tip last year as it kept breaking down.
Sadly that model was no longer in production! The closest I could find was a big side-by-side fridge freezer which couldn't hold a candle to my dear departed fridge in terms of size and space. These models did come with ice dispensers, but they took a whole shelf out of the freezer, which, given the amount of space to start with was not such a great thing.
DH reckoned we could do without it, so we bought the side-by-side fridge freezer, but he loves his ice, especially in the summer.
His solution has been simple. He has invested in cheap ice cube trays and when they have been set, he has tipped them into a clean, empty ice cream tub with lid and kept it frozen. Then he has made some more. They do have to be used fairly quickly, but when you want ice cubes in quantity without paying for them, or losing space in your freezer, then it is a great idea.
Until we had an ice cube maker, I never realised just how useful it was. Now, I couldn't do without it and I'm glad I don't have to!
