Toll-free telephone services and Web sites offer a variety of specialist answers to cooking and food-safety questions during holiday preparation times.
Here are some of them:
U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline: 888-674-6854. Food safety specialists answer calls about meat and poultry preparation and cooking questions, year-round Monday- Friday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. MST, except Thanksgiving Day, when hours will be from 6 a.m.-noon MST. Recorded information is available 24 hours a day at the same number. Also available in Spanish.
On the Net:wwwhttp://www.fsis.usda.gov/Food_Safety_Education/USDA_Meat_&_Poultry_Hotline/index.asp, or send e-mail to: mphotline.fsis@usda.gov.
Butterball Turkey Talk-Line: 800-288-8372. Home economists and nutritionists answer holiday cooks' questions, in both English and Spanish, for callers in the United States and Canada. Callers can request a free pamphlet with safety and cooking tips and recipes. Nov. 1-18, weekdays 7 a.m.-7 p.m. MST.
Sunday, Nov. 20, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. MST.
Monday-Wednesday, Nov. 21-23, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. MST.
Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, 5 a.m.-5 p.m. MST.
Nov. 25-Dec. 16, weekdays, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. MST.
Dec. 18-23, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. MST.
Dec. 24-25, 5 a.m.-2 p.m.
Automated assistance available outside the above hours and all year long.
On the Net:www.butterball.com
Foster Farms Turkey Helpline: 800-255-7227. Turkey-cooking questions are answered and information given by live operators 24 hours a day Nov. 16-28 (including Thanksgiving Day). Before and after those dates, the helpline is available 9 a.m.-6 p.m. MST, Monday through Friday.
On the Net:www.fosterfarms.com
Perdue consumer help line: 800-473-7383. Consumer-relations representatives answer cooking, storage and other questions about poultry products weekdays year-round (except Nov. 25 and Christmas Day) 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. MST. Free booklet offer with tips on safe handling of poultry.
Longer hours Thanksgiving week:
Monday, Nov. 21, and Tuesday, Nov. 22, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. MST.
Wednesday, Nov. 23, 7 a.m. -7 p.m. MST.
Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 5 a.m.-1 p.m. MST.
On the Net:www.perdue.com
Shady Brook Farms: 888-723-4468.
On the Net:www.shadybrookfarms.com
Honeysuckle White: 800-810-6325. Automated holiday-meal information lines offer 24-hour service every day throughout the holidays, including meal planning, buying and cooking turkeys.
On the Net:www.myfamilyholiday.com
Empire Kosher poultry customer hotline: 800-367-4734 or 717-436-5921. Help is offered by consumer-affairs representatives year-round Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m. MST; Friday, 6 a.m.-1 p.m. MST. Program offers recipes, newsletter, tips on defrosting and cooking poultry. Closed Jewish and secular holidays.
On the Net:www.empirekosher.com
Ocean Spray consumer help line: 800-662-3263. Year-round, weekdays (open Thanksgiving Day but not Christmas Day, New Year's Day and other major holidays) 7 a.m.-2 p.m. MST. Consumer department staff field questions on cranberries, offer recipes, cooking tips, nutritional information, menu-planning worksheets, product information.
On the Net:www.oceanspray.com
Reynolds Turkey Tips Hotline: 800-745-4000. A year-round 24-hour automated hot line; through Dec. 31 offers advice on turkey defrosting, preparation and cooking options, free brochure and recipes.
On the Net:www.reynoldskitchens.com
Other Internet resources:
www.turkeyhelp.com. Cook's Illustrated magazine's site features detailed guidance and recipes, for preparing turkey and all the trimmings, including apple and pumpkin pies, with bright step-by-step visuals.
www.eatturkey.com. The National Turkey Federation Web site has Thanksgiving recipes and cooking tips, among its year-round general information.
www.mccormick.com Includes a holiday entertaining guide.
www.starchefs.com/thanksgiving/2004/html/index.shtml.
www.southernfood.about.com offers Thanksgiving recipes and turkey information and hints.
www.epicurious.com. Offers a Thanksgiving primer and other help.