Comments on: Ice

By: Annie Ting

Annie Ting — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:36:29 +0000

I want to buy block of ice for shaving machine. Size 22cm-25cm width and length, height 20cm. Do you have anything like this that is hygienic?

By: karen

karen — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:38:48 +0000

i often pile lotsa ice in my drinks and i don’t care vmuch if it tastes just water when it melts [yikes]. lol :p

By: Risa

Risa — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:08:26 +0000

It may interest you to know that there was a time that operators of ice plants were required to secure a license to operate a public utility. I think during the times when referigeration was available only to a few, ice making was such a crucial, protected and important market activity that the government saw it fit to regulate, much in the same way as communications, electricity and public transportation.

Actually, wasn’t ice a status symbol during Spanish times? Only the well off families serve iced drinks since these were hauled and insulated with sawdust from ships coming from colder countries. (My history may be wrong.)

Off topic here. Hi Maria Clara, I observe you’re a regular commenter. Depending on the day, I vacillate between the mental picture of you as the innocent, nubile MC (from the books) and a much older MC (cf. Apicio’s 2 century comment). I’m still divided.

By: Ebba Myra

Ebba Myra — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:07:57 +0000

When I came home last May and stayed in Calauag, Quezon Province, I had to purchase daily a quarter block of ice, to put in our left-over food and to cool our water. It was becoming expensive for we have to travel 20 mins to the town proper for it, so I decided that if there is left over food, we just give it to neighbors. That left the scenario of cooling the bottled water we have. Well, some neighbors do have refrigerator, and they sell ice, so what I did, I paid them in advance and asked them to supply me with daily “clean” water frozen in plastic ice, that we can directly put in our pitcher when needed.

This May I am coming home again, staying in the same location, and I am contemplating if I will buy a ref, or will just get the same supply from that neighbor. (My nephew wanted a TV instead, so I guess, rasyon na lang muna ng yelo, hehehe).

By: jules winnfield

jules winnfield — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:57:40 +0000

almost everyday on my way to work, i see these ice vans weaving their way around the makati business district. the van’s back door is open to allow more humane temperatures (and dust and smoke) for the tired sweaty men inside who are chopping away at the ice blocks. it seems to me that they deliver to canteens all around makati. so beware of those canteen halo-halos. hehehe. anybody sees this around too???

By: Marketman

Marketman — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:13:19 +0000

Hi Everyone, I should have pointed out, this type of bulk ice purchase is only for external use, not as part of drinks. But a case of coke smothered in this type of ice makes for a very happy Marketman…

By: Noel

Noel — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:48:48 +0000

On old ice plants, block ice are frozen in standing position on the freezer’s floor, separated by rusty iron sheets, and covered by wooden planks, where people can step as its essentially the freezer’s floor. Dirt and other sediments accumulate in the middle, where they sometimes insert ice to speed up the freezing process. Takes about 2 days to totally freeze a block.

Since personally witnessing this process, I never had drinks nor consumed halo-halo from ice blocks. Ice tubes are far safer, since most ice plants use purified water in processing, and lab tests are randomly done.

By: weng

weng — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:00:57 +0000

hi.the place and the people in the picture looks familiar to me..Nasugbu again i wonder we might bump each other one day at the public market here.

By: bernadette

bernadette — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:51:00 +0000

I recall that in the market of Puerto Princesa whenever we would buy shrimps and prawns, we can go to a section where they sell small styrofoam boxes and fill it with ice then tape the whole box so one can bring them to Manila. Neat service!

Ice blocks are really so important for fisherfolks here in our island. Yesterday, we got the first experience of buying fish directly from the fish distributors from Abra de Ilog (Occidental Mindoro) and their 60 boxes had lots of ice in them as well. Now, for a seemingly “isolated” part of the island, they must have an ice plant there as well!

By: Roberto Vicencio

Roberto Vicencio — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:53:38 +0000

We usually travel short distances from Manila to Pililla, Rizal. Along the way, we have used 3 or 4 ice plants, especially the one in Baras. Must have done this at least 30 times since returning to the country in 2000. Again, as mentioned in the other replies, best to use the blocks of ice for cooling and refrig rather than as a mixer for your drinks. The bags of tube ice that you can use for mixing in your drinks are only 25 php each.