SPECIAL CONTESTS FOR APRIL WITH WHIPPY

APRIL SHOWERS: PLAY TOURS WITH FLOWERS & A LADYBUG AT TOP OF TOUR PAGE AND COMPETE TO WIN A $20 E-GIFT AND A $15 E-GIFT CARD.

SLAP JACK: IN THE 2 A.M. TOUR ONLY, WHEN A JACK IS PLAYED, THE FIRST PLAYER TO TYPE "SLAPJACK" AT TABLE GETS CREDIT. WINNER FOR THE MONTH RECEIVES $25 E-Gift Card.

GAME OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL WILL BE SUICIDE / WINNER OF MOST SUICIDE TOURS WINS DIAMOND.

SPECIAL THANKS TO: * LADYSPADER01 *WHISPER *_HOPE_ & *WHIPPY FOR FUNDING FEBRUARY GAMES!

***APRIL NEWSLETTER CONTEST: Make this delicious recipe. Eat a full serving. Be the first to say to Selsi in the lobby, "I made haggis and ate it!"
Prize: $20 pkg of Tums + you have a great new recipe for family get-togethers!***

TRADITIONAL HAGGIS

(recipe compliments of our very own Tuggly--don't forget to thank her!)

INGREDIENTS:
1 ox bung, soaked for 4 hours and cleaned
3 1/16 lb of lamb's pluck, (heart, lungs and liver)
1 1/8 lb of beef, or lamb trimmings or stewing steak
7 1/16 oz of suet
1 1/8 lb of oatmeal, (coarse)

SEASONING:
2 tbsp of black pepper, ground
1 tsp nutmeg, finely grated
4 tsp coriander seeds, freshly ground
4 tsp fine sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
Rinse the whole pluck in cold water. Trim off any large pieces of fat and cut away the windpipe.
Place in a large pot and cover with cold water. The lungs float, so keep submerged with a plate or a lid. Bring to the boil and skim the surface regularly. Gently simmer for 2 hours.

Lift the meat from the pot with tongs or a slotted spoon, and rinse in cold water to remove any scum. Place into a bowl and leave to cool.
Strain cooking liquid through a fine sieve and put back on the stove to reduce until you have roughly 1 liter of stock. Leave to cool.

Whilst the stock reduces, finely dice the cooked heart and lungs. Grate the liver using the coarse side of the grater. Finely dice the trimmings. Mix together in a large bowl, along with the suet, oatmeal and spices.

Measure how much stock remains from cooking the pluck, and make up to 1 liter with cold water. When cool, add to the haggis mixture.
To check the seasoning, pan fry a tablespoon of the mixture for 2-3 minutes and taste. Add any extra salt, pepper or spice if needed.
Spoon the haggis mixture into the soaked, rinsed ox bung. Be aware the filling swells as it cooks, so pack quite loosely, and keep a little bung at each end.
When the haggis is the size required, expel any extra air, pinch, tie with string and cut with scissors.

Tie the new end of the bung, and continue stuffing. Freeze any spare haggises.
Before cooking, pierce the haggis several times with a needle. Place in a pan of cold water, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 1.5-2 hours. When ready, the internal temperature should read at least 74C. Serve with neeps and tatties.

APRIL LITERARY CORNER

I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed and gazed, but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
--William Wordsworth

Pluie de Printemps

On my window pane
Rain taps a restless rhythm
The first dance of spring
--Selsi

Would you like to share something with other players through the newsletter or make suggestions for it? Contact Selsi!

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL SPRINGTIME!