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Passive temperature control is provided to vessels too tall to be stored in a shallow, temperature-controlled tray or basin by a vertically oriented thermally-conductive tube. In one embodiment, an insulative collar covers the tray and insulates portions of the tube that extend above the top of the

Passive temperature control is provided to vessels too tall to be stored in a shallow, temperature-controlled tray or basin by a vertically oriented thermally-conductive tube. In one embodiment, an insulative collar covers the tray and insulates portions of the tube that extend above the top of the tray. Optional heat sinking fins and air convection holes increase heat transfer between the tube and the tray.

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1. A thermal insert for use with a temperature-controlled tray, the thermal insert being configured to provide temperature control to a vessel placed inside the thermal insert and having a height greater than the depth of the temperature-controlled tray, the thermal insert comprising: a thermally-co

1. A thermal insert for use with a temperature-controlled tray, the thermal insert being configured to provide temperature control to a vessel placed inside the thermal insert and having a height greater than the depth of the temperature-controlled tray, the thermal insert comprising: a thermally-conductive tube having an interior volume for receiving the vessel, the tube having an interior cross sectional shape that conforms to and which is larger than the exterior shape of the vessel, the tube capable of being oriented upright in a temperature-controlled tray comprising four solid, substantially planar, substantially rectangular-shaped thermally-conductive side walls extending upwardly from a solid, substantially planar, substantially rectangular-shaped and substantially horizontal thermally-conductive bottom, the side walls and bottom defining a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped volume having an open top, the tray side walls having a height, the tray having a depth defined by the side wall height, such that when said thermally-conductive tube is upright, the thermally conductive tube extends above the open top but has a height less than the height of the vessel the temperature of which is to be controlled, the thermally-conductive tube being sized, shaped and arranged in the tray to transfer thermal energy between, the vessel and the temperature-controlled tray. 2. The thermal insert of claim 1, further comprising a substantially rectangular thermally insulating collar configured to mate with the open top of the tray, the thermally insulating collar having a substantially circular through-hole, configured to receive the thermally-conductive tube. 3. The thermal insert of claim 1, wherein the thermally-conductive tube is comprised of an aluminum cylinder having a circular and substantially continuous cross section between first and second opposing ends, such that when the aluminum cylinder is oriented upright on at least, one end of the cylinder, the second end is located above the top of a tray and being open to receive the vessel. 4. The thermal insert of claim 3, wherein each of the four side walls has an interior side facing into the tray and an exterior side facing outwardly, and wherein the bottom has an interior side facing upwardly and an exterior side facing downwardly, wherein at least one of the exterior sides is adjacent to a refrigeration device, wherein the aluminum cylinder has a flat second end, in contact with the interior side of the bottom, the aluminum cylinder being configured to conduct heat that is absorbed from a vessel in the aluminum cylinder into the bottom of the tray, the tray being configured to conduct heat from the aluminum cylinder into the refrigeration device. 5. The thermal insert of claim 3, further comprising an insulation layer on the outside of the thermally-aluminum cylinder and covering the length of the cylinder that extends above the top of the tray. 6. The thermal insert of claim 1, wherein at least part of the side walls are substantially orthogonal to the bottom. 7. The thermal insert of claim 1, wherein the thermally-conductive tube is further comprised of at least one thermally-conductive fin. 8. The thermal insert of claim 1, wherein the thermally-conductive tube is further comprised of at least one thermally-conductive fin that extends laterally from the tube to a side wall of said tray, the fin conducting heat between said tray and the thermally-conductive tube. 9. The thermal insert of claim 1, wherein the thermally-conductive tube is perforated with a plurality of holes in a first portion of the tube, located between the top and bottom of the tray. 10. The thermal insert of claim 1, wherein the tray is sized to be able to provide open air space completely around the thermally-conductive tube when the tube is placed inside the tray and wherein the thermal insert is sized to be able to provide air space completely around a vessel placed into the thermal insert, the temperature of which is to be controlled. 11. A thermal insert for use with a temperature-controlled tray the thermal insert comprising: a cylindrical, thermally-conductive tube configured to be placed into and oriented upright in a substantially rectangular-shaped, thermally conductive tray comprising a plurality of solid sidewalls that extend upwardly from a solid and substantially planar bottom, the tray having an open top, the sidewalls having a height above the bottom and which defines a depth of the tray, the tube having an interior volume for receiving a vessel having a height greater than the depth of the tray, the interior volume of the thermally-conductive tube having a cross sectional shape that conforms to and which is larger than the exterior shape of the vessel, said thermally-conductive tube having a height greater than the depth of the temperature-controlled tray and less than the height of the vessel. 12. The thermal insert of claim 11, wherein the tube is sized, shaped and arranged to be able to provide an air gap completely around a vessel inside the tube and wherein the tray is configured to provide an air gap completely around the tube when it is inside the tray. 13. The thermal insert of claim 11, wherein the thermally-conductive tube is configured to have a lower portion below the open top of the tray and configured to have an upper portion above the open top of the tray, the upper portion of the tube being exposed to ambient air. 14. The thermal insert of claim 13, wherein the lower portion is provided with at least one thermally-conductive fin extending outwardly from the thermally-conductive tube to contact at least one side wall. 15. The thermal insert of claim 14, wherein the thermally-conductive fin is configured to contact a side wall and the bottom of the tray. 16. The thermal insert of claim 13, further including a thermally insulting collar around the upper portion of the tube. 17. The thermal insert of claim 11, wherein the food storage tray is a refrigerated tray. 18. The thermal insert of claim 11 wherein the food storage tray is a heated tray. 19. A thermally-insulating cover for a temperature-controlled tray having an open top, and at least one side wall surface that extends between the open top and bottom, the tray having depth defined by the height of the at least one side wall surface, the thermally-insulating cover configured to cover the temperature-controlled tray, the thermally-insulating cover having at least one through-hole configured to receive a thermally-conductive tube, the thermally-conductive tube being configured to have an interior cross sectional shape that conforms to and which is larger than an exterior shape of a vessel having a temperature, which is to be controlled by the thermally-conductive tube. 20. The thermally-insulating cover of claim 19, including at least one thermally-conductive tube within the through-hole and extending through the thermally-insulating cover, the tube being configured to have an interior volume to receive a vessel therein, the tube having a length greater than the tray depth but less than the height of the vessel to be received within said thermally-conductive tube. 21. The thermally-insulating cover of claim 20 wherein said thermally-conductive tube is provided with at least one through hole in a lower portion of the tube located away from the thermally-insulating cover. 22. A food service counter comprising: a temperature-controlled tray comprising four solid, substantially planar, substantially rectangular-shaped thermally-conductive side walls extending upwardly from a solid, substantially planar, substantially rectangular, substantially horizontal bottom, the side walls and bottom defining a substantially, rectangular parallelepiped-shaped volume having an open top, the tray side walls having a height defined by the distance between the open top and the tray bottom;a thermal insert inside and oriented upright in the temperature controlled tray, the thermal insert having a first portion that extends above the open top, heat energy from a vessel inside the insert being transferred across an air gap into the thermal insert and, conducted through the thermal insert into the temperature-controlled tray. 23. The food service counter of claim 22, wherein the thermal insert is a cylinder having first and second ends, wherein the cylinder is sized, shaped and arranged to stand upright in the tray on one of the first and second ends. 24. The food service counter of claim 23, wherein the cylinder comprises a plurality of through holes. 25. The food service counter of claim 23, wherein the cylinder is configured to be able to provide an air gap completely around a vessel placed into the cylinder and wherein the tray is configured to be able to provide an air gap completely around the cylinder. 26. The food service counter of claim 22, wherein the sides and bottom have interior surfaces facing into the substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped volume, and wherein the sides and bottom have exterior surfaces, which are opposite the interior surfaces and face away from the substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped volume, at least one of the exterior surfaces of the sides and bottom being adjacent to a refrigeration line. 27. The food service counter of claim 22, the temperature-controlled tray is refrigerated. 28. The food service counter of claim 22 wherein the temperature-controlled tray is heated.