Ice, Ice, Baby

I'm not much of a cocktail drinker; I err towards a glass of wine, a beer or something served neat with no ice. However, come summer, a cocktail is suddenly exactly what I crave, whether it be a margarita to accompany a freshly grilled fajita or a Pimm's Cup to drink over hors d'ouevres. Something about summer just screams COCKTAIL. And cocktails call for ice.

As you may have heard, the latest trend whipping its way through urban dining destinations is designer ice. Newspapers and food magazines have chronicled this new interest in the humble ice cube. While I sort of think cocktail bars investing in fancy-schmancy ice makers is a bit silly, I do like the idea of giving ice cubes a second look. Why shouldn't they be fun? Here are six ice cub trays that will let you create custom cubes. (Above: Ice Kabobs, $6.95, seefred.com)

There's a machine that makes perfectly spherical ices cubes -- it costs $170. Make slightly imperfect orb for $16.
Spherical Ice Tray Set, $16, momastore.org
A perfect gift for the martini-drinker who takes their poison "on the rocks."
On The Rocks Ice Trays, $3, The Container Store
We love the idea of filling this silicone mold with fruit juices to great little mini tropical treats.
Tropical Ice Tray, $6, Sur La Table
While the story of the Titanic is tragic, you must admit that this ship and iceberg set is pretty darn funny.
Gin & Titonic Ice Cube Tray, $10, fredflare.com
The possibilities are endless with these number and letter ice trays. We'd splurge and buy both the numbers and letters for $30.
Alphabet, Number and Symbol Ice Trays, $9.95 to $29.90, spoonsisters.com