Virtual Mid-life Crisis

As in real life, in virtual life there is only a certain amount of time where you can feel content with what you have. That time for me was two years. Two years I spent in Outerworlds, made so many friends, helped many people get the best out of their virtual experience.

After two years Outerworlds started to feel a bit old and I couldn't really enjoy my time in there. So I went to look for something new. I had been beta testing one other 3D chat software before and I received a lifetime membership there so it was the next obvious door to go into. I spend a very intensive two months making new friends, finding out cool places and having lots of fun.

Then I started to look back into Outerworlds. The fact is that most people don't have a computer that meets the high standards of the newer 3d chat programs so most of my friends were still in Outerworlds. So I came back, and started yet another revamp of Jaffa with Freaks and Jayjay.

At the same time I noticed that people were starting to gain more interest in the future of Outerworlds. The greeters team was re-started, the teachers team was being reformed and even a development team was started. Things are looking good again and I think we can push the limits of this software to give us more, while Activeworlds programmers are developing even more new fancy features in the software.

As a conclusion I can say that Outerworlds still rocks. Maybe it's not as technically advanced as some of the new software, but one thing makes it better than any of the others. That one thing is the kick ass community where we all (once pushed enough), can create such good spirit and make Outerworlds blossom again.

- Aragorn
Join the Outerworlds Development Team!
http://www.outerworlds.com/development

Birthdays

July 4 4315 JayJay July 5 206 lost1 July 9 4303 Hdude77 July 12 1953 Grendel July 12 2357 Pliadian July 14 3356 Glittering Moon July 25 864 bow July 26 2783 Cassandra July 30 4966 SouthernMyst August 1 4956 MetalicGecko August 2 4285 KJDude August 5 860 Golem August 10 554 CaRyan August 10 944 Danii August 11 1538 Star August 11 2262 Copper August 11 4731 Jinty August 14 703 Winnie August 16 121 Red Janis August 16 134 Sportster August 17 4931 Moonflower

New...Citizen Recipes

From time to time the citizens of Outerworlds submit various recipes and Dinner menus for all to enjoy. Be sure and check back monthly to see what kind of tasty delights are in store for you!

This months submission is by Kat and Whitefox .....Enjoy!

The following is a splendid dinner menu if you were to be entertaining for a special occasion. Special because it can be expensive, but also special because your guests will be impressed by your culinary skills.

Wine Suggestions

The starter requires a white wine, possibly German Liebfraumilch because these wines tend to be sweeter than French Chardonnay. The Main course speaks for itself, claret, deep and
dark. I think to accompany the desert, I would be tempted to offer Grande Marnier coffees mmmmm with fresh cream.  What a decadent way to end a perfect meal.

Menu: Serves 4

Starter: Salmon and Shrimp (prawn) pillows. Submitted by kat

Main Course: Beef Wellington served with seasonal veggies. Submitted by kat

Desert: Death by Chocolate Cake ,submitted by Whitefox

Salmon and Shrimp Pillows.

Ingredients:

2 sheets of puff pastry
2 slices of thin cut salmon
8 Large prawns or 4 medium sized shrimp
Half pint white wine sauce
Sprig of Parsley to garnish

Method

Roll the sheets of pastry together making a 8 x 4 ½ inch thick slab, then cut into 4 even pieces. Place on a baking sheet and place in the oven on the middle rack at 400 degrees or gas mark 5 until cooked (approx 15 – 20 minutes)

Meanwhile in a pan make the white wine sauce, add salmon and shrimp remove from heat after 2 minutes, and set aside.

Remove puff pastry from oven and cut in half, length ways, making a top and bottom.

Place a bottom puff pastry on each plate and pour the salmon and shrimp mixture equally between the 4, and place the tops on, garnish with Parsley.

I like this recipe because you can also use it as a main course by adding extra shrimp and serving with wild rice and some nice hot French bread, I made it once for a dinner party and unbeknown to me one of the guests was a chef in the RAF, he was so blown away by this that he took the recipe and later used it on his menu. You may also omit the puff pastry and wrap the shrimp in the salmon and still have the pillow effect.

Beef Wellington

Ingredients:

1 - 3 1/2-pound fillet of beef, tied with thin sheets of larding fat at room temperature
3/4 pound mushrooms, finely chopped
3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 pound pâté de foie gras (available at specialty foods shops), room temperature
1 pound thawed puff pastry, plus additional for garnish
1 large egg white, beaten
1 large egg yolk, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water for egg wash
1/2 cup Madeira
2 teaspoons arrowroot, dissolved in 1 teaspoon cold water
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons finely chopped black truffles (available at specialty food shops)
1 bunch Watercress

Method

1. In a roasting pan, roast fillet in the middle of a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a thermometer registers 120°F (50°C). Let the fillet cool completely and discard larding fat and strings. Skim the fat from the pan juices and reserve juices.
 
2. In a heavy skillet, cook the mushrooms in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring until all the liquid is evaporated and the mixture is dry; season with salt and pepper and let cool completely.
 
3. Spread the fillet evenly with the pâté de foie gras, covering the top and sides; spread the mushrooms evenly over the pâté de foie gras. Set aside.

4. On a floured surface, roll 1 pound of the puff pastry into a rectangle large enough to enclose the fillet completely, about 20 by 12 inches.

5. Invert the coated fillet carefully onto middle of the dough and fold up the long sides of the dough to enclose the fillet. Brush the dough's edges with the egg white to seal. Repeat with the ends of dough.
 
6. Transfer the fillet, seam side down, to a jelly roll pan or a shallow roasting pan and brush with some of the egg wash. Roll out the additional dough and cut shapes with decorative cutters. Arrange the cutouts on top, brush with the remaining egg wash and chill for at least 1 hour, but no more than 2 hours.
 
7. Bake the fillet in the middle of a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 30 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F (180°C) and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until a meat thermometer registers 130°F (55°C) for medium-rare. Remove and let stand for 15 minutes.
 
8. In saucepan, boil the reserved pan juices and Madeira until the mixture is reduced by one quarter. Add the arrowroot mixture, beef broth, truffles and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over moderate heat, stirring (being careful not to boil) for 5 minutes or until thickened.
 
9. Loosen the fillet from jelly roll pan, transfer with two spatulas to a heated platter and garnish with watercress. To serve, cut the fillet into 3/4-inch-thick slices, dress with the sauce.

I like this recipe because its so easy to make but looks like an entrée’ from a top class restaurant when cooked. It can be accompanied with roast seasonal vegetables. NB The truffles are optional.

Death By Chocolate by Whitefox

When I was 18, I was working as a cocktail barman at TGIFriday in Kingston. They sent me to train with a guy from California for a couple of weeks so that I could perform bottle throwing acrobatics for the customers. Well it always seemed to get a party started when I started throwing the vodka in the air so customers (usually girls lol) would offer me drinks if I would perform for them but I wasn't allowed to drink while I was working so.... I put a sign up on the bar as a joke "Barman will dance for Death by Chocolate" thinking I'd get maybe one or two slices but by the end of the night the place had sold out of Death by Chocolate and I shared out 38 slices with the waitresses. After that it sort of became my nickname, customers would call me death by chocolate and slices would keep arriving on the bar for me even though I took the sign down after only one night :)

8-10 Servings
 

4 Eggs
1 cup      Sour cream
1/4 cup  Water
1/4 cup  Grand Marnier
1/2 cup  Oil
1 pack Chocolate cake mix
1 pack Chocolate instant pudding
12 oz   Semisweet chocolate chips
Icing sugar
 
Method

Beat eggs, sour cream, water, Grand Marnier, and oil together in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed or until you get a full confession.
Add cake mix and pudding mix. Beat until smooth.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Pour into cake tin and bake at Gas Mk6 for 1 hour.
When cool, sift powdered sugar on top of cake.

That’s it for the July/August OuterWorlds NewzLetter.
Thanks to each and every one of the citizens of OuterWorlds.
It's each and every one of you that makes OuterWorlds such a great place!

Keep Smiling...
Make someone else smile...
And don't forget to love yourself!

Peace Out

Everyone please continue to send positive thoughts and prayers in Radiance’s direction.  She needs strength to fight the battle to recover.
I will continue to do the news until she comes back. Anyone wanting to help me, please feel free to pitch in. Likee

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