A byootaful Life

The Thanksgiving rotisserie turkey was a complete success!

In true Canadian fashion, it rained all day long, but we’d read the forecast so we were prepared! No rain was going to get between us and our rotisserie experiment! We grabbed the outdoor umbrella and positioned it above the motor so it wouldn’t get wet. It served a double purpose, offering the BBQ master (ie. Phill) some protection from the elements when he was outside to check on the turkey (which was often).

I didn’t brine the turkey but I did give it a dry rub using a range of spices (chili, celery salt, onion powder, paprika, pepper) and let it sit in the fridge for a couple hours so the flavours could sink in. I also chopped up an onion and some garlic to fill the cavity, but that turned out to be a silly idea because as the turkey spun on the rotisserie, they fell out one at a time. I had trussed it but obviously not tight enough.

When the BBQ was preheated to about 375 degrees, we put the turkey on the rotisserie spit and tried to make sure it was as even as possible. You didn’t want it to be lopsided or it might burn the motor out trying to turn it, or it might cook unevenly. It took us a few tries – and a couple arguments – but we finally got it on there. (Don’t laugh at my trussing job – this was my first time and I didn’t want wings flopping about!)

We raced outside into the rain and quickly fitted the end of the spit into the motor. It was surprising how much heat was lost with the lid open for just a few minutes. This was concerning because that would affect the cooking time and I was sort of relying on using the time as a good indication of whether or not the turkey was done. We’d put it on earlier rather than later, just in case, so if it needed to cook for longer that was okay. I was just paranoid about drying it out!

The turkey cooked at about 375 degrees for about 1hr 20mins and when we pulled it off, it was perfect, which was a relief, especially considering how much we’d babysat it, checking it was still turning and hadn’t caught fire. It wasn’t dry at all and the skin was crispy and the meat juicy – so delicious! Not bad for a first attempt!

And the best part? Leftovers! So on that note, I believe it’s dinner time!

This Thanksgiving is our second Thanksgiving in Canada, but believe it or not, it will mark our first time cooking a turkey! I’ve always been put off by the size of them and also the “dry factor” everyone warns you about, but this year I had a turkey in the freezer that was taking up waaay too much space, so I decided to pull it out and cook it for Thanksgiving. Oh and we’re not just doing any old roast turkey, we’re doing…

…rotisserie turkey!

We’ve never used a rotisserie before, but hey, if we’re taking a first stab at cooking turkey, let’s make it exciting and challenging! Hopefully the weather holds up – we’re expecting rain tomorrow, but since the lid will be down during the cooking it shouldn’t affect our plans. And if the turkey explodes or the motor dies, I’ve got the oven as a back-up.

Wish us luck! Happy Thanksgiving, Canadian friends.

We’ve officially been living in Canada for one year! The milestone passed last week and I can’t believe how quickly time has flown. Our visas are for two years, so we’ve reached the halfway mark – that is, if we don’t renew, which is a possibility but something we haven’t really put too much thought into yet. Things have changed so much just in one year – it’s amazing to think that we’ve completely moved countries and set up new exciting lives overseas – it’s something I never thought I’d ever do (I was pretty skeptical right up until our arrival!) It turns out it’s the best thing we’ve ever done – it’s been an amazing ride so far and I can’t wait for what the second year brings!

The weather has well and truly turned. It happened last Thursday. I noticed as I was walking to work in my summery skirt because my legs felt cold and my toes, peeking out of my sandals, felt increasingly number as I walked. I thought that was bad, but now this week, the rain has come. The cold, miserable rain that signifies that yes, it’s nearly winter and yes, it’s going to be just as cold and rainy as last year.

A part of me is a little excited because winter coming means…

…hello Starbucks Creme Brulee Latte! Which could, actually, also be a bad thing because I am completely addicted to them. If they weren’t so bad for me, I’d have them every day! Last year I got one on my birthday and the barista sprinkled double toffee bits on top… mmmm, it’s sooo good! Plus, served in a colourful Christmas cup, it’s just delightful.

Of course, they’re not out yet, so I’ve got to be patient.

Sigh… it’s so hard to be patient!

Click here to read Part 1 of my trip to the Vancouver Aquarium if you missed it!

So… my eyesight isn’t the best (even with glasses on) and as frogs enjoy hiding in their tanks, I found it rather hard to spot them. However, I quickly picked up a trick while walking through the amphibian enclosure – follow the guy in front of you. Make sure he’s with someone else, because that way, when he points out the frogs to his companion, you can subtly look where he’s pointing, so when they move on to the next tank, you already know where the frog is! Huzzah! You’re welcome.

I didn’t have a hard time finding this nasty looking toad though! He was staring at me with those beady eyes, ugh. There were about six toads in the tank together and they just… stared at you. They reminded me of the cane toads we have in Australia. We used to have to catch them to take them to school for science class. Of course, the girls always got the boys to catch theirs for them!

As much as I think they are gross, I have to admit that they did photograph well.

It’s interesting that the prettier the frog, the more poisonous they seem to be! This beautiful blue-legged Poison Dart frog was tiny and delicate, sitting on the log. Apparently one frog has enough venom to kill 10 grown men! Pretty and deadly.

There was a variety of frogs, of all different shapes, sizes and colours, including green frogs…

…and red frogs

…and frogs pretending to be a leaf on the ground (trust me when I say I definitely needed the guy in front of me to point this one out to his girlfriend, so I could find it too!)

…and frogs that aren’t actually frogs at all (like this white salamander). I first saw a salamander when we were in Japan and I remember thinking how weird they look! I think my exact words were, “What the heck is that?!” It looks like it’s not quite real in some way.

After the frogs, it was time to head outside for a bite to eat before visiting the animals in the outdoor tanks. We met a cheeky little squirrel who obviously got hand-fed a lot by the guests to the aquarium, because it had no problem coming right up to us…

… and even climbing up on our chairs when we were leaving, to see if we’d left any crumbs behind!

Next up is Part 3… we meet the animals in the outdoor tanks!