Mrs Birks Blogs

It is a long time since I subscribed to the Crafty Creatives boxes, mainly because I was struggling to craft and commit to my full time job (I know which I'd rather do!).  So it was with excitement that I jumped at the chance to review a subscription box when I saw the opportunity on Twitter.  The boxes have changed since I last received one but I was still full of excitement when I saw the following tape on a big brown package. What spoilt the surprise of what was inside was the other picture on the box which revealed the kit inside.  I say spoilt but of course it didn't really, I was excited to see what the little felt creatures would look like and what the kit would contain.  Plus who can be disappointed with craft stuff arriving through the post and with the added bonus that everything you need is inside, with nice clear designs. I started the kit a few days later at 'Craft Club' - our attempt at work to relax and catch up once a week during lunchtime.  

This summer we finally got around to defrosting the freezer (oh the glamour!) and, in an attempt to do my part, I decided to use up the frozen damsons that had been in there for I don't know how long (I could guess but I'm too scared to!)Anyway, jam was always on the cards - we have made Damson jam before with some success - I used this simple recipe and using the plate in the fridge test, the set was pretty good.     I also wanted to do something a bit more adventurous though and after a bit of a search, discovered this Damson and Gin sorbet recipe.    We had gin, we had damsons and I also had a Kitchen Aid ice cream churner still in its box from last year when I was lucky enough to get it free with my Kitchen Aid.    A perfect combination! Now with an ice cream maker you do need to freeze them for a long time (15 hours at least) so it's not something you can use spontaneously.    So I put it in the freezer overnight (it only just fit!) and made the mixture th

While Game of Thrones goes from strength to strength (how is this season over already?), what has happened to House of Cards?  The TV drama that changed the way drama is produced and distributed, has gone from gripping, edge of the seat stuff to unbelievable, over-the-top and dissatisfying in one season. Although I didn't always understand the politics, I loved House of Cards from day one and it was one of the reasons we subscribed to Netflix.    As a Media teacher I admired the way it changed the media landscape by putting the control back into the hands of the audience,    allowing them to choose exactly how many episodes (chapters) they watched and when.    It also proved that in a world of short form video, long form drama is still something the audience wants.    With its film star cast and director, it was also responsible for blurring the boundaries between film and television - it's becoming difficult for critics to claim that film is high culture whilst TV lag

A few weeks ago, I was very lucky to receive a surprise sample of Scrumptious Sprinkles to try out.  I was very excited because I love this brand!  I first came across them when I lived in Ludlow - I was thrilled to find edible mini dinosaurs at the Food Centre and took them home to decorate the Husband's birthday cake (I had some help from a small child!). Now that I no longer live in Ludlow, it is more difficult to get hold of them (although Lakeland has started stocking them), so I always look out for their stand at the Cake and Bake show, where they normally have a special offer.  On my last visit I got two shimmer powders and some small sprinkles.  They also do cupcake cases in a range of fantastic colors and designs.  I'm due to stock up on these - they are lots of fun and very good quality.  If you look carefully, you might spot some of the polka dot ones in my older posts.   Anyway, through the post, I received a bundle of joy which included: The golden mini

I have finally eaten Street Food!  Obviously that sounds incredibly uncool for those who eat Street Food all the time or for those who have the sort of job where Street Food for lunch is the norm.  For me and Mr B it was something of a novelty and we enjoyed it very much. On a quick trip into London recently, we visited Spitalfields Market.  It seemed a real mix of traditional shops and stalls and completely unaffordable shops and stalls.  It made for a colourful and exciting atmosphere providing lots of opportunities for people watching.  As well as having lots of nice chains to eat at, there were lots of yummy looking food vans, with food from across the globe.  The smells from some of the vans was amazing and the queues were testament to the quality of the food.  For my first taste of street food, I opted for The Duck Truck - a company which specialises in guess what? Duck!  I had a traditional duck salad for £7 which was delicious.  It was very generous with the amount of duck

Ever since I got my copy of Martha Collison's Twist a few weeks ago (just £5 on Amazon at the time), I have been really keen to try some of the recipes.  It is a great book to have in a collection of baking books and, as the name suggests, you can try different things to create a 'twist'.  It is fast becoming a favourite. The first thing I tried was the Mango and Lime Meringue Pie.  I love a Meringue Pie, the lemon variety was my absolute favourite dessert as a child and this version brought back memories of Sunday afternoons.  The recipe had different stages, as you'd imagine, plenty of chilling time for pastry and later for the curd.  It was my first time 'blind baking' even though I've had a pot of baking beads in the cupboard for several years, which meant the pastry was lovely and crisp (although the top edge was slightly overdone on one side and next time I would watch it more closely).  The curd was also a first.  Last time I tried a lemon one, I

Bundt cakes are impressive, especially if you've got a super fancy tin.  At Christmas time, Bundt cakes seem particularly festive covered in a little icing sugar.  In fact, that is one of the many impressive things about Bundt cakes - they can have as little or as much decoration as you want, the tin does the hard work, so you don't have to! Talking of Bundt tins, they can be a bit pricey.  I was lucky in that I was given a well used one from my Mum.  It is a bit battered and a simple design but it did the job for my first ever Bundt bake.  Choosing the recipe was a little more difficult, having overdosed on chocolate over Christmas, I wanted to do something different, so spent some time trawling Internet recipes. I decided on this Lime and Blueberry recipe by Mary Berry. After a Christmas with a few satsumas as the only fruit, I tried to convince myself that a punnet of blueberries made for a slightly healthier cake.  The recipe suggests that you line the tin with str