If I freeze cakes with icing on them, when I defrost them the icing becomes soft and sticky. Why?

Paula Paine, Plymouth, Devon, UK

I've been told that you should never re-freeze food, that after cooking something it should be left to get to room temperature before freezing it and that you should allow things to defrost before cooking them. Why?

To save mixing my gin or vodka martinis with ice and over-diluting them I pre-mix them and put them in my freezer. When I take them out they are a sludgy mixture. But any solid ice that has formed does so in very thin sheets randomly aligned in the sludge which melt quite quickly once the martini is out of the freezer and in a glass. How do these sheets form? I tend to make my martinis about 8 parts vodka or gin to 1 part dry vermouth.

Thomas Park, London, UK

I have noticed that when currys or chillies are frozen to eat later, they 'mature' and become noticeably hotter.  Can anyone expain this?

I wince at the thought, but is it possible, given a low enough temperature, for urine to freeze instantly into an icicle if you're caught short in Arctic conditions. If so, how cold would it have to be? and could it be dangerous for an intrepid explorer? 

I've just read your excellent book and have enjoyed it thoroughly

However the answer to the title question left me wondering a little as to be honest the answers given were more of a "why doesn't a Penguin lose too much heat through it's feet."

I've worked in a frozen food vendor and I know that on Mondays when the freezers were right down to temperature of near -30 I would stick to surfaces if I was daft enough to touch them (it had to be tried - not that I'm recommending it!).

I know really cold snow is powdery, but still that layer of cells in contact must be -30 or so on one side and above freezing on the other. Why are they not killed ?

Many animals have dead cells "fur etc." in contact, but not Penguins as far as I know

So if it's OK can I ask it again please

Regards

Andy

Water molecules are slightly polarised so they should line up in a strong electric field.  I was always taught that they form hexagonal structures when they freeze though.  Which of these effects is more powerful?  Does the water freeze with a different structure?  What happens if I subsequently remove the electric field?

By trapped i mean, for example, enclosed in an otherwise solid metal cube with no air spaces. would it stay a supercooled liquid or become a compacted solid, or some medium in between?