The Lewis Ice Bag

Once as essential to the bartender's craft as the cocktail shaker or bar spoon, the Lewis bag-a heavy-duty canvas bag used for crushing ice-had largely disappeared from bars until its recent revival. Used by bartenders who understand that a proper cocktail is one part recipe and one part showmanship, the Lewis bag fulfills the theatre aspect of cocktail creation while absorbing excess moisture from ice as it is crushed. To use, simply fill with ice cubes, secure the opening and fold it under, then strike with a mallet until the ice reaches the correct texture. When crushing ice on a potentially fragile surface such as stone countertops, place a durable cutting board between the bag and the counter. A classic addition to any bartender's arsenal.