Mrs Birks Blogs

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 ju...

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 tha...