Wednesday, August 17, 2011

ice-bowls ~ nice bowls...

It all started a few months back...while I was on the treadmill.
I flipped through channels until I found one that caught my attention...
an ice-bowl tutorial.


And before I could forget...
I went out and picked my edible flowers and tried my hand at making an ice-bowl.


Here's how it is done.
Find two large bowls that nest nicely inside each other.
Scatter a good handful of blooms in the larger bowl...and then fill it part way with water.
Place the smaller bowl inside the larger one.
Fill the smaller bowl with ice-cubes to weigh it down...
and tape the bowls together to keep them in place.
Freeze the mold overnight.
Use a little warm water to un-mold the ice-bowl.
If you are not planning to use it immediately...
wrap tightly and freeze until the opportune moment arrives!

My bowl was made months ago...
and was almost forgotten in the freezer.

I have a good friend that I only see only very occasionally...
and I invited her for lunch the other day.



The 'almost forgotten' salad bowl came to mind...
and I fixed us a 'girlfriend salad' for lunch.
Mixed greens, chopped red onion, peach slices, fresh blueberries and caramelized pecans...
topped with poppy seed dressing.
And several hours later...the leftover salad was still crisp and cold...
while the bowl was only half the size!
(I should mention that the salad bowl needs to be placed on a 'saucer' that will catch the melting ice.)
And once again, Karen and I were caught up on the goings-on in our lives.

While I was in the ice-bowl-making-mode...
I tried the same method for making a bucket to keep the beverages cold.


I used lemons, limes and mint leaves.
Simple and fun...
you might want to try it!



21 comments:

  1. Very cool!! Will need to try that for sure... an easy way to impress some guests:)

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  2. Yours turned out beautifully. So smart to make bowls on a slow day or when flowers are choice for use later. Your do ahead tip will save me from wandering the garden just before an event and discovering nothing suitable is in bloom.

    I do recall a tip for crystal clear ice: use distilled water. For frosty ice use aerated tap water.

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  3. Nice ideas Judy - thanks for the tutorial!

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  4. That is lovely Judy.....what a treat for you and your girlfriend to share lunch and enjoy the special bowl...perfectly pretty!

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  5. How elegant. You get a lot planned on that treadmill!

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  6. Judy I love it...the bowl was really beautiful!! I will have to try it at least once...


    Hugs!

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  7. I see your name splashed all over the Martha Stewart catalog...Way to go...bring an ice-bowl to the tennis court to hold our ice-waters.

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  8. That really is a lot of fun Judy! Love them both...
    I knew those treadmills were dangerous...

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  9. I do want to try this! They are beautiful! A special touch that so reminds me of the way you host.

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  10. Judy that's amazing - we see those things - you try them and make it look so simple.

    A special time for both you and Karen.
    Martha

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  11. Your ice bowls are so beautiful. The pansies are arranged very evenly considering they floated into place. I don't know if I have any edible flowers, though...

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  12. Gorgeous bowls. What a great idea to make them ahead and keep them in the freezer for the future. They really add flair to your table.

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  13. Both bowls are beautiful! I've seen this done before but your pansy bowl looked exceptional! I don't have a large separate freezer and my refrigerator freezer is too small to accommodate a big bowl so I can't attempt this. otherwise I would try this at my next party.

    I love you pretty green grass and mountain views, Judy. It must be so nice to eat outside where you are.

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  14. Nice job!
    Like this alot and think I'm going to try this.

    Looks lovely!
    d from homehaven nestled in the kansas flinthills

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  15. I want to be your guest for lunch, and pinch baby Lucy's adorable cheeks!!!

    Your header is amazing...I just planted those Limelight Hydrangea's this summer. What a gorgeous photo.

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  16. How lovely to see Karen! She looks fabulous. The ice bowl is too amazing for words. I will have to try it today, too, or I'll forget. There is not much good to be said for the middle-aged mind.

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  17. What a beautiful idea! You are one talented lady! Isn't it fun to see what we can come up with while on treadmill? Karen must have marked that day down as a highlight of her week.

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  18. I love this Judy ...such a beautiful bowl. What girlfriend wouldn't feel special to catch up over a lunch like that?

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  19. I love that you actually accomplish the projects you dream of doing. Sadly, many of my ideas remain as ideas. Your ice bowl and bucket are lovely and taking the time to do make them is a thoughtful gift to your guests.

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  20. I love that you actually accomplish the projects you dream of doing. Sadly, many of my ideas remain as ideas. Your ice bowl and bucket are lovely and taking the time to do make them is a thoughtful gift to your guests.

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'The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson