Posted on by Mark Linton

Holiday cooking help is available on phone hot lines and online

<strong>Associated Press</strong> 
<br />
<strong>December 17, 2003</strong> 



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 to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST. Recorded information is available 24 hours a day at the same number. Also available in Spanish.
  • 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.

    • Through Dec. 23, weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST.
    • Dec. 24 to Dec. 25, Christmas Eve-Christmas Day, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • Dec. 26, day after Christmas, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Foster Farms Turkey Helpline: (800) 255-7227. Turkey-cooking helpline is available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST, Monday through Friday.
  • Perdue consumer help line: (800) 473-7383. Consumer-relations representatives answer cooking, storage and other questions about poultry products weekdays year-round (except Christmas Day) 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST. Free booklet offer with tips on safe handling of poultry.
  • Shadybrook Farms Turkey Line: (888) 723-4468. An automated service offering information on buying and cooking turkeys.
  • Empire Kosher poultry customer hotline: (800) 367-4734, or (717) 436-5921. Help is offered by consumer-affairs representatives year-round Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST; Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST. Program offers recipes, newsletter, tips on defrosting and cooking poultry. Closed on Jewish and secular holidays.
  • Ocean Spray consumer help line (800) 662-3263. Year-round, weekdays (not Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and other major holidays) 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST. Consumer department staff field questions on cranberries, offer recipes, cooking tips, nutritional information, menu-planning worksheets, product information.
  • Reynolds Turkey Tips Line (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:

  • 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.
  • The National Turkey Federation Web site has holiday recipes and cooking tips, among its year-round general information.
  • The McCormick Web site includes a holiday entertaining guide.
  • Star Chefs offers Christmas and holiday recipes, with tips from professional chefs and cookbook writers.
  • southernfood.about.com offers Christmas and holiday recipes and turkey information and hints.
  • Land O’Lakes baking assistance, cooking tips and free recipe brochure.