There is provided a refrigerating assembly for temporarily storing an item at a first temperature lower than an ambient temperature. The refrigerating assembly comprises a container for receiving the item and a shell adapted for removably receiving the container therein. The container comprises a sidewall having therein defined a cavity containing an amount of a refrigerant medium having a second temperature lower than the ambient temperature for temporarily maintaining the item received in the container at the first temperature. The shell has an outer surface which is at the ambient temperature and an inner surface which has a layer of thermally insulating material mounted thereon for thermally insulating the shell from the container, thereby maintaining the outer surface at the ambient temperature. There is further provided a method for temporarily storing an item at a first temperature lower than an ambient temperature.

A cooling tray includes a container, springs placed within the container to exerting a vertical thrust, a platform residing within the container and coupled to each spring, and a bowl for residing above the container. When ice is placed on the platform, the plurality of springs are each compressed such that the cooling material contacts an undersurface of the bowl. As the ice melts, the water flows below the platform, and the springs decompress and maintain the remaining ice in contact with the undersurface of the bowl. In this manner, food that requires refrigeration may be served from the portable cooling tray at the appropriate temperature. A formed ice block may be used to impart greater and more efficient cooling as a greater surface area of the ice contacts the undersurface of the bowl. The bowl may be of aluminum to further increase the efficiency.

A method of operating a refrigerator appliance, the refrigerator appliance comprising a chilled chamber, an auxiliary compartment positioned within the chilled chamber, an evaporator duct containing an evaporator, an evaporator fan for selectively urging a flow of primary air through the evaporator duct and into the chilled chamber, an auxiliary duct providing fluid communication between the evaporator duct and the auxiliary compartment, and an auxiliary fan for selectively urging a flow of auxiliary air from the evaporator duct, through the auxiliary duct, and into the auxiliary compartment. The method includes operating the evaporator fan at a first speed to provide the flow of primary air into the chilled chamber, receiving a request to cool the auxiliary compartment, operating the auxiliary fan to urge the flow of auxiliary air into the auxiliary compartment, and operating the evaporator fan at a second speed, the second speed being higher than the first speed.