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Saddle Up And Get Some Gobblers

Rick Bonino Food Editor

Now that November is upon us, the turkey drives are gearing up again.

No, we’re not talking about herding hordes of gobblers down Division Street on their way to slaughter (although that’s certainly an intriguing image). We mean the efforts by local food banks to round up turkeys to give to the less fortunate for their Thanksgiving tables.

Prudential Crane Realty’s Spokane Valley office is again collecting turkeys for the Valley Food Bank. Turkeys can be dropped off at the office at Broadway and Pines; for information, call 458-6718 or 927-2121.

The Spokane Food Bank, 1234 E. Front (534-6678), is also looking for the big birds. Both agencies accept donations of cold cash as well as cold turkeys.

Turkey tips

It’s not too early to start thinking about your Thanksgiving menu, and there’s no shortage of food companies who want to help you out (and maybe make a buck in the process):

A free brochure, “Take the Guesswork Out of Roasting a Turkey,” is available from the National Turkey Federation. Send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Roasting Brochure, 11319 Sunset Hills Road, Reston, VA 22091.

As well as answering individual questions, the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line offers not only a free brochure, but a five-minute video, “Preparing a Picture-Perfect Turkey,” for $3.50. Call 1-800-323-4848.

The Mrs. Cubbison’s stuffing people produce three free brochures on cooking turkey and making various stuffings. Send a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope to: Recipes: Department FE, Western Research Kitchens, P.O. Box 48051, Los Angeles, CA 90048.

Expert baking advice is available by calling the Land O’Lakes Holiday Bakeline, 1-800-782-9606. All callers will receive a free “Baking Holiday Magic” recipe leaflet.

TV dinners

You may not be able to watch the O.J. trial on the tube anymore, but Peter Tobin has returned to the air.

The Spokane Community College culinary instructor’s cooking program, “Fresh Approach,” is back by popular demand Sundays at 9:30 a.m. on KREM-2, sponsored by Tidyman’s Warehouse Foods.

Each week, Tobin demonstrates an easy meal that gets 30 percent or less of calories from fat, and tries to demystify such less-familiar foods as shiitake mushrooms.

“I try not to do it for ‘cooks’,” says Tobin. “It’s for people who work every day, come home and want something quick to eat.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Drawing of a turkey

MEMO: We’re always looking for fresh food news. Write to: The Fresh Sheet, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Call 459-5446; Fax 459-5098.

We’re always looking for fresh food news. Write to: The Fresh Sheet, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Call 459-5446; Fax 459-5098.