At the Vermont Marble, Slate, and Soapstone Company in Castleton, Vermont stone fabricator Kevin Boudreau crafts countertops the manufacturer ships across the country.
"Vermont's on the map," he chuckles.
But what to do with all the remnants, those misshapen hunks of stone left over when the cutting's done?
"We're getting orders for bigger numbers of ice cubes," Boudreau says.
The company uses its soapstone scraps to cut three-quarter inch cubes it markets as "green," reusable alternatives to ice.
"You're not using any water any more to make your ice," company president Paul Thompson says.
Thompson boasts that soapstone put in your freezer won't absorb flavors, is dishwasher safe, and because the stone never melts, won't water down your drink.
"Here's a way around that, where the whole drink stays cold and there's no dilution whatsoever," he added.
Thompson said he has sold 500,000 soapstone cubes in the last year alone, mostly wholesale to retailers who target high-end liquor drinkers looking for a pure sipping experience.
At $12.95 for a pack of six and $34.95 for 24 cubes, the company is partially selling novelty.
But are the stone cubes actually better than good old frozen water?
The maker does admit that it takes more stone than ice to chill a drink.
At downtown Burlington, Vermont's upscale Bluebird Tavern, cocktail specialist Nathaniel White-Joyal uses traditional ice.
"That's part of the drink," White-Joyal said.
White-Joyal insisted real ice is the only way to go for shaken designer drinks, and even in the case of a bourbon or malt whiskey, he said their natural smokiness can actually be enhanced by a splash of water or some ice melt.
"A little bit of water, especially really good spring water, can bring out some subtle flavors," White-Joyal explained.
Still, the company that found a way to recycle its throwaway soapstone, and boosted profits in the process, is toasting this creative approach to re-use.
"It's green," Kevin Boudreau says.
"Vermont's on the map," he chuckles.
But what to do with all the remnants, those misshapen hunks of stone left over when the cutting's done?
"We're getting orders for bigger numbers of ice cubes," Boudreau says.
The company uses its soapstone scraps to cut three-quarter inch cubes it markets as "green," reusable alternatives to ice.
"You're not using any water any more to make your ice," company president Paul Thompson says.
Thompson boasts that soapstone put in your freezer won't absorb flavors, is dishwasher safe, and because the stone never melts, won't water down your drink.
"Here's a way around that, where the whole drink stays cold and there's no dilution whatsoever," he added.
Thompson said he has sold 500,000 soapstone cubes in the last year alone, mostly wholesale to retailers who target high-end liquor drinkers looking for a pure sipping experience.
At $12.95 for a pack of six and $34.95 for 24 cubes, the company is partially selling novelty.
But are the stone cubes actually better than good old frozen water?
The maker does admit that it takes more stone than ice to chill a drink.
At downtown Burlington, Vermont's upscale Bluebird Tavern, cocktail specialist Nathaniel White-Joyal uses traditional ice.
"That's part of the drink," White-Joyal said.
White-Joyal insisted real ice is the only way to go for shaken designer drinks, and even in the case of a bourbon or malt whiskey, he said their natural smokiness can actually be enhanced by a splash of water or some ice melt.
"A little bit of water, especially really good spring water, can bring out some subtle flavors," White-Joyal explained.
Still, the company that found a way to recycle its throwaway soapstone, and boosted profits in the process, is toasting this creative approach to re-use.
"It's green," Kevin Boudreau says.
