# Ice sculpting/carving



## Erik.f.Dowell (Apr 1, 2011)

For my Garde Manger class we got to do ice sculpting today..so from 8 am til around 1 we got to carve ice blocks. Now, originally I was in a group and we picked to do a skull on a pedestal which would kind of look like crystal when all said and done, and would look good in 3-dimensional. For this project, we worked in groups and unfortunately one member didn't show up and there wasnt enough blocks of ice to go around and i ended up joining another group and the three of us had to do a bear because thats what that guy really wanted to do.. Now, i love bears and thats fine..i am pretty easy going, but a skull would have been really really sick.

Unfortunately, for this school we dont have a club that meets after school for this kind of thing and there isnt just a class that focuses on this kind of work. So, really this will be the only time most of the students will get to work with this unless they persue it professionally. I am transferring to a bigger school that is accredited in Culinary Arts in the academic community and recognized by the ACF (American Culinary Federation). So hopefully i will get to work with it more and maybe join a club, because this was SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!! ....side note, i attend a small community college, and went here to get my 'feet wet' and make sure that culinary is what i want to do for my profession.

Anyways... I dont know what could be a better way to pass the time than to bust out a chainsaw and some chizzles and start carving ice..i mean this is really awesome. I would do this just as a hobby if i could.. I have seen the show "ice brigades" on the food network and they do some really cool stuff..but i didnt realize how awesome it is to do.. i would totally opt doing this over sitting around and watching t.v. or whatever i do that wastes time..  However, the main guy that was brought in by the instructor was telling us that each block of ice was around 110 dollars per block..unless bought in bulk and then it was around 70 dollars a block, but you had to buy like 20 blocks... I dont have that kind of money, or that kind of storage for something like this. I mean, he said the finished piece will completely melt at an event in 5 to 7 hours. So, unless you have a walk-in at your house, your probably not going to be able to pick this up..except at work or maybe at an institution.. I forget the exact dimensions of each block, but in some of the pics i posted up here there is a bucket and other things that will give it some scale.

Anyone do this kind of stuff??? I think its really rad! Hope to do more in the future!

Erik!


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## Erik.f.Dowell (Apr 1, 2011)

some more pics!


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## taxlady (Apr 1, 2011)

Cool. You could move to Canada and cut the ice out of a lake in winter


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## Erik.f.Dowell (Apr 2, 2011)

Haha that would be pretty hardcore huh?


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## mollyanne (Apr 2, 2011)

C'mon erik, fess up, it's allll about 
the chainsaw isn't it men.... 
I'm teasing...it's definitely cool!

...and I think it's great that you're 
trying your hand at all types of 
creative culinary mediums like the 
carved fruit/vegetable you posted 
in the food art thread. You're so 
young to be doing so well at this
that I suspect great things from 
you in your future. You're brave and
talented...good combo.


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## Erik.f.Dowell (Apr 2, 2011)

MollyAnne! That's an amazing compliment! Thank you for the kind words and the encouragement.  Luckily, for this class we do these things each week.. So one week we do the carving of fruit, the next week we do pates and such.. And then this week we did ice carving.. So it's one of those classes that involves a whole realm of different things into it. I am also on a baking class, so this semester instead of cooking and making food from different regions of the world.... It's a whole new ballpark of random things. Baking is not like cooking where you can add a little of this and that, it's specific measurements and procedures that must be followed specifically. Thank you again, I have spent four years of college before this jumping around major to major trying to find something I really wanted to do and could do for my profession... And luckily since working in restaurants through college and high school... It kind of clicked.. So now it's just taking it to a diff. Level..


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## PrincessFiona60 (Apr 2, 2011)

You can play with ice carving in your spare time on a small scale. Use an empty, paper milk carton, rinse it well and freeze filtered water in it. Tear off the carton and you have your ice block.

Then your only expense would be your chisels, etc. Unfortunately, you would probably not need a chain saw for this...


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## Erik.f.Dowell (Apr 2, 2011)

thats a great idea actually! might have to do that actually, good idea!

....but i really wanted to play with a chainsaw! lol


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## PrincessFiona60 (Apr 2, 2011)

Erik.f.Dowell said:


> thats a great idea actually! might have to do that actually, good idea!
> 
> ....but i really wanted to play with a chainsaw! lol


 
Get a house with a fireplace, then you have all the excuses in the world to play with chainsaws...


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## taxlady (Apr 2, 2011)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> You can play with ice carving in your spare time on a small scale. Use an empty, paper milk carton, rinse it well and freeze filtered water in it. Tear off the carton and you have your ice block.
> 
> Then your only expense would be your chisels, etc. Unfortunately, you would probably not need a chain saw for this...



If you boil the water for a while before freezing it, the air will be gone and the ice will freeze more clear.


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## CWS4322 (Apr 2, 2011)

In Ottawa, Ontario there is Winterlude. One of the features is the ice scuptures. A lot of chefs participate in this activity from all over the world. Not sure how you could find out about participating, perhaps the City of Ottawa's web site...you'd get to use a chainsaw, chisels, etc. The city might be able to put you in touch with s/one with whom you could team too...


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## Erik.f.Dowell (Apr 3, 2011)

Tax- good tip with boiling water for clearer ice!
Cws- that sounds like a good excuse to come up to Ottawa,  yeah i'm competeing haha  thats pretty cool, i am too amatuer to try and compete...I bet there are some great pieces done though! photographers dream event!


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