Ice Ice Baby Cool down with chilly blender drinks and boozy ice pops

AS SUMMER TEMPERATURES HIT, ice-cold cocktails become ever more enticing. But here’s the crucial consideration: Because achieving the perfect slushy consistency requires lots of ice, overly diluted drinks are always a risk.

- Lucy Simon

To avoid a watery, depressing Frozen Negroni (recipe at right) or Saturn (recipe p. 68), make sure all of your ingredients are well chilled in advance; if they are at room temperature, they’ll begin melting the ice even before you even hit START on the blender. Kevin Beary, beverage director of Three Dots and a Dash and Gus’ Sip & Dip in Chicago, recommends freezing the various components of the cocktail in advance to cut back on the amount of ice needed. Or, you can premix everything except the ice the day before and pop it in the freezer overnight—because of the alcohol content, premixed drinks won't freeze solid. Just before serving, blend everything quickly with crushed ice instead of cubes, which take more blitzing to break down.

Frozen cocktail possibilities also reach beyond the glass. Another fun, delicious option is to make ice pops inspired by iconic drinks, like the Aperol Spritz Pop (recipe p. 69) and the Espresso Martini Pop (recipe opposite). They are perfect for poolside and make for a refreshing spiked dessert, too. (Because highproof drinks won't freeze solid, cocktail pops have a slightly lower ABV than their sippable counterparts, but they’re no less enjoyable.)

Frozen Negroni

TOTAL 5 MIN; SERVES 2