This month at ShortOrder, we’ve discovered yet another reason to praise Scotsman ice machines. In March, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) named Scotsman ice machines’ systems the 2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year. Scotsman’s accomplishments were recognized on Tuesday at an awards ceremony held in Washington D.C.

What is the Energy Star Label?

The Energy Star label was created to encourage and promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants, as well as to assist consumers in finding energy-efficient products. It is backed by the EPA, and can be found displayed on products like computers, TVs, kitchen appliances, air conditioners, water heaters, light bulbs, and, of course, Scotsman ice machines.

An Energy Star certified product earns its label by providing significant energy savings, increasing the product’s energy efficiency, and performing as well as or better than a higher energy consuming product of its kind, along with several other requirements. These factors are carefully measured and tested in order to be verified, at which point the product receives the Energy Star label.

Scotsman: 2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year

Scotsman was selected from among almost 200,000 organizations to be the recipient of the 2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year. The winner of this award is credited for a dedication to the successful promotion and distribution of its Energy Star products, thereby saving consumers money and reducing levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

ShortOrder and Scotsman Ice Machines

ShortOrder carries a variety of Energy Star certified Scotsman ice machines. From the Scotsman Ice Machine CU1526SA-1A, producing up to 150 pounds of ice in 24 hours, to the Scotsman Ice Machine C1448MA-32B, which produces up to 1,553 pounds in 24 hours, ShortOrder is dedicated to bringing you Scotsman ice machines that can save your business time, money, and energy. For more Scotsman ice machines and other Energy Star certified commercial kitchen products from major brands like True, Panasonic, Delfield, Hobart, and more, visit ShortOrder.com and view all of our restaurant equipment.

Think all ice is the same? Think again. You would be unwise to put nuggets in a cocktail or cubes in a frozen display. ShortOrder carries Manitowoc ice machines for four basic different types of ice: dice sized cubes, half dice sized cubes, flake ice, and nugget ice. The fact is, different types of ice have very different uses. How should you use each type of ice? Let ShortOrder enlighten you with a tour of Manitowoc ice machines and their many uses.

Dice Sized Cubes

Cubed ice is largely an all-purpose ice. It is used most for single servings of drinks like carbonated beverages, juices, and water. It is also a main component in cocktails and mocktails, both shaken and stirred. These hard, clear ice cubes are best for uses that need slow melting and quick production.

Half Dice Sized Cubes

These little cubes melt more quickly than their full-size counterparts, but are just as effective and refreshing in drinks of all kinds.

Flake Ice

Flake ice has many uses, some of which actually go beyond the restaurant world. In the cases of culinary use, they are often best for retail ice displays, as of cold beverages, and in blended beverages like smoothies, blended cocktails, and the perennially-popular slushie. Flake ice is actually a slow-melting ice. Outside of kitchens and bars, it can used in medical settings as well.

Nugget Ice

Nugget ice is, in a word, crunchable. It is a soft, crushed ice that is easy to chew but whose pieces hard enough to serve without needing to hand-scoop the ice. Nugget ice, like flake ice, can also be put to therapeutic use.

About Manitowoc Ice Machines

Regardless of the type of ice they make, all Manitowoc ice machines are made with strong, quality materials, so they stand up to day-to-day use and abuse in a hectic kitchen. That’s right; Manitowoc ice machines are made to weather the culinary storm. The best ice machines are also efficient. Fortunately, efficiency is one of the things that Manitowoc ice machines do best. Different models support different rates of ice production per 24 hours, depending on your need. Browse ShortOrder’s selection of Manitowoc ice machines today and decide what types of ice your business needs, or call us if you have questions at (800) 211-0282.

This week, join ShortOrder and fill up your ice machines to learn about the favorite cocktails of famous American authors. Many writers had a cocktail they were most famous for enjoying; among them were Tennessee Williams, William Faulkner, Edna St. Vincent Millay, John Steinbeck, and the three gentlemen below. We ask you drink responsibly, and try out these recipes in your restaurant with your own ice machines.

Gin Rickey – F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of the most famous writers and expatriates of the Roaring Twenties, is responsible for the novels The Great Gatsby, This Side of Paradise, and a number of short stories. Gin was a popular spirit in the 1920s, and so Fitzgerald’s favorite drink, the Gin Rickey, is an entirely appropriate choice. A Rickey may also, however, be made with rum or scotch. It consists of gin, lime juice, and club soda, garnished with a lime wheel, and served over an ice machine’s cubed ice.

Mojito – Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway, author of such American classics as The Sun Also Rises, The Old Man and the Sea, and For Whom the Bell Tolls, thoroughly enjoyed the mojito. The drink was invented at a Cuban bar in Havana called La Bodeguita del Medio, which Hemingway frequented while he lived there in the 1940s and 1950s. The mojito is actually derived from the Rickey, and consists of fresh mint, lime juice, sugar or simple syrup, white rum, and a wedge of lime. The rim of the glass may be sugared, and the drink is served “on the rocks” with cubed ice (as from ice machines).

Margarita – Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac was a poet and a novelist of the Beat Generation, most famous for his novel On the Road, and allegedly adopted the margarita as a favorite drink during one of his trips to Mexico. Margaritas take many forms, but the classic margarita is usually made with tequila, lime juice, and a sweetener such as triple sec. Frozen margaritas are popular versions, and are made with pureed ice. Machines specifically for frozen margaritas are very popular, but smaller servings are made in blenders. To add a twist to a margarita, a number of flavors can be added, such as fruit juice (for a strawberry margarita, for example), flavored syrups, or other spirits, such as schnapps or Grand Marnier. Salt or sugar the rim, or leave it plain.

More about Ice Machines

Stay tuned for more about ice machines and their uses from ShortOrder! Meanwhile, read about the difference between shaken and stirred cocktails, our favorite Manitowoc ice machines, and more here on the ShortOrder blog.

Ice machines, while useful for every restaurant, can be particularly useful for a restaurant with special drinks on its menu. Ice machines allow a restaurant to have fresh ice available in large quantities at any time. But how to prepare your drinks using an ice machine’s ice? James Bond, the famous fictional British Secret Service agent, is known for preferring his martinis prepared “shaken, not stirred”. What is the difference between shaken and stirred? There has been much debate among cocktail connoisseurs about whether shaking or stirring is the better method, and in what case each ought to be utilized.

Shaken Drinks

A drink that is “shaken” is made using an ice machine’s fresh ice cubes in a cocktail shaker. About 5 or 6 ice cubes should be used per individual drink. Shaking a drink for about 10-15 seconds (longer is acceptable, depending on the beverage’s components) quickly chills it while aerating the drink. It is obviously works faster than stirring a drink, but can also dilute it.

Stirred Drinks

A drink that is “stirred” is made just the way it sounds—it is mixed with an ice machine’s ice in a glass. A stirred drink takes longer to chill, and in fact could take several minutes to achieve the temperature that shaking does in seconds. However, stirring allows a drink to remain less diluted, keeping its texture and appearance fairly unaltered.

Mocktails

Are you looking for a new drink to add to your menu? Consider the mocktail. A “mocktail” is a drink made by mixing two or more non-alcoholic beverages. Types of mocktails may include versions of an actual cocktail modified to eliminate the alcoholic components (called a “virgin” drink), or a drink unto itself, with no alcoholic counterpart. The mocktail is a friend to all, as it pleases all ages and can be drunk at any time of day. Ice from ice machines will help you add the finishing touches to delicious mocktails. We recommend that you try Manitowoc ice machines or Scotsman ice machines for brands that will deliver high-quality results. Below are two clever mocktails that will guarantee you get plenty of use out of your ice machines.

Fruit Punch – Shaken

This drink bears no resemblance to your average packet of cherry Kool-Aid. A Fruit Punch is made with orange juice, mango juice, pineapple juice, grenadine syrup, and fresh cream. All ingredients should be added to a cocktail shaker (already equipped with an ice machine’s ice to chill the drink), and shaken well. It is then strained into a highball glass, and served most often with a slice of pineapple and a cherry as garnishes.

Virgin Mary – Stirred

A Virgin Mary is, of course, a non-alcoholic version of a Bloody Mary. This drink is often served as a breakfast or brunch menu item, and is a great way to mix up your beverage choices at the beginning of the day. Use a mixing glass with ice from your ice machines to stir the ingredients together, then pour into a roly poly glass and garnish with a stick of celery, mint leaves, or a lemon wedge.