How to Make Perfect Floral Ice for Your Spring Soiree

Spring is finally here and what better way to celebrate than with sunny, colorful flowers? Pretty floral ice is an easy, yet dramatic way to amp up any warm-weather party and show off the spoils of your newly-blooming garden. Whether you’re planning a big celebration or an intimate gathering, freeze the chicest drink chillers for your upcoming floral-infused festivities in just five easy steps.

Freshly-Picked

Blooms straight out of the garden (or local nursery) are your best bet for chic, edible cubes. Carefully remove individual petals or whole blooms from the stem of the flower or herb after a quick spritz with cold water. Pro tip: Be careful when choosing flowers for your ice as not all petals are edible. Make sure you are 100% sure of the bloom variety before using it for culinary application.

Here are some of our favorite well-known edible varietals to get you started: nasturtium, rose, lavender, borage, pansies, and the blooms of most culinary herbs such as basil, rosemary and thyme. There are also edible flower seed packets available online and at your local nursery which make for beautiful container gardening and serve double duty in the kitchen.

Crystal Clear

The key to achieving perfectly clear ice comes down to one important extra step: boiling your water. Bringing distilled water to a boil will dramatically remove any cloudiness from your cube. Some experts even go one step further and boil a second time for extra distillation. Just make sure that your water cools to room temperature before filling your trays and adding delicate petals.

Layer + Freeze

The trick to creating floral-filled ice is layering. Start with a small amount of distilled water in the bottom of your ice mold, place flowers in the water and freeze. After a few hours in the freezer, add additional water and more blooms. Keep in mind that most of these blossoms will want to float to the top. By layering in frozen steps, you’re guaranteeing that petals can be seen from all sides of the cube.

Pairing Petals

There are a lot of choices to make when it comes to pairing floral ice with your beverage of choice. Where pansy petals won’t alter the taste of a drink too drastically, other herbaceous blooms such as basil and lavender can make or break your creation. For instance, nasturtium has a spicy, peppery taste which would work well in a more complex drink while rose might get lost in a sea of too many flavors. Think of these petal flavors as an enhancement, not an intimidation, and make ice cubes with floral notes that will complement the drinks you're serving.

Enjoy!

Cheers to impressing your guests at your next shindig.