jesters and fools are an integral part of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebrations. I don’t recommend playing the fool like I did with an expensive ice sculpture display tray, however…
updated 9/2/23 with updated links, a little more info, formatting, humility, and seo
major oops with an ice sculpture display tray
Since there’s nothing I can do about it now, I only wish I had video…
I originally posted this on an April Fool’s day, years back. For that day, I thought I’d relate one of my more foolish mistakes, despite the part that I felt more like an idiot than a fool. Anyway, don’t try this at home, work, or anywhere else.
step 1: position your ice sculpture display tray in the middle of the freeway
I had a Toyota Tundra pickup and I didn’t have much else in the back except a sheet of ethafoam that covered the bed. While I was running some other errands, I stopped by one of my clients and picked up one of my ice sculpture display trays that had been used at an event. This was one of my nicer and trays, one from Gourmet Display (now Cal-Mil). I’d actually traded an ice sculpture (or 2?) for this tray when Gourmet Display had a booth at a New Orleans food show.
Anyway, I was in a bit of a hurry, so I just set it in my truck bed. In the past, I’d had trays in the back without any tiedowns and hadn’t had any trouble. They usually would lay flat on the ethafoam and stay there.
This time was different. I’m not sure if one end of the tray was sitting up on something, if the ethafoam got caught in the wind, or the tray suddenly sprouted wings, but almost as soon as got on the freeway, in my rearview mirror, I saw my nicest and largest Gourmet Display ice sculpture display tray hurtling through the air!
After a couple seconds of panic, I managed to pull off to the side of the road, and I started to back up so I could see if there was anything to salvage or any debris to clean up. To both my amazement and distress, I quickly located my tray: apparently intact, but in the center lane 😱
The plastic top tray under the sculpture is an example of the large Gourmet Display ice sculpture display tray that I’m talking about. Definitely not the same one though. Also, ironically, the pictured sculpture was also the subject of another ice sculpture related disaster…
step 2: leave the tray there just long enough for an 18-wheeler to come by
There wasn’t much traffic, and several cars saw the tray and avoided it. I was beginning to think that I’d be able to get my tray back and be on my way. The only thing between me and my tray was a lumbering eighteen wheeler. I was sure that he saw it…
Maybe he did see it. Maybe he didn’t. But he sure hit it just right ☠️
In the end, I was pretty impressed that a Gourmet Display tray could fly out of a vehicle, land on asphalt, and still be in one piece. Of course, I didn’t get a chance to take a close look at the tray, but it actually looked okay from a couple lanes over. I was disappointed but not surprised that being run over by a semi caused the tray to explode into many, many pieces.
The next time, I made sure to tie my tray down in the bed of the truck. I hadn’t told many people this story, but April Fool’s Day seemed like the day to tell it, if I was going to suck it up and confess. Except I wasn’t playing a prank, I was just a fool/moron 🤪
links and stuff
You could also find photos and info from this entry on the ice sculpting secrets Instagram account or the facebook page. You can comment there as well as below. And if it won’t LET you comment below, then definitely comment on fb and/or IG. Thanks!
