Turkey Day Angst Starts Right Here
With only three weeks left until Thanksgiving, it’s not too early to start panicking about your holiday dinner plans.
Fortunately, it’s also not too early to start calling the telephone hotlines and visiting the Internet home pages set up by food companies to help you tame the big bird. For example:
The Butterball Turkey TalkLine (800-323-4848) provides answers to questions on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., with every caller receiving recipe cards and $5 in coupons. A video, “Preparing a Picture-Perfect Butterball Turkey,” is available for $3.50 postage and handling. For you online types, try http://www.butterball.com
Honeysuckle White’s toll-free line (800-810-6325) offers automated assistance around the clock with commonly asked questions. Callers also may order a free recipe booklet, “Turkey With a Twist.” Turkey tips, ideas for entertaining and more than 200 recipes are available via the Internet at http:/ /www.honeysucklewhite.com
The Reynolds Aluminum Turkey Tips Line features recorded defrosting and roasting directions at (800) 745-4000, along with a free recipe brochure, “Turkey Made Easy.” There’s also a Web site with cooking tips and seasonal recipes at http://www.rmc.com/wrap
Brochures on roasting turkey and on “Deliciously Different Turkey” leftovers are available by sending a stamped, self-addressed, business-sized envelope to: The National Turkey Federation, 1225 New York Ave. NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20005.
For food safety information, the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline (800-535-4555) has experts on duty weekdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., with recordings on various topics available all day.
And on the sweet side, the Land O’Lakes Holiday Bakeline (800-782-9606) is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Christmas Eve. All callers will receive a free recipe leaflet, “75 Years of Baking Memories,” with every 75th caller receiving a special cookbook. A Web site can be accessed at http:/ /www.landolakes.com
Even if you don’t have any questions right now, we’d suggest clipping and keeping these numbers. The meal they save could be your own.
Seeing delight
For those of you with richer tastes, in both food and finances, the 16th annual Epicurean Delight will be Nov. 15 from 6:30 p.m. to midnight at the Ag Trade Center.
Tickets are $125 to the black-tie event, which features food from 23 restaurants and beverages from 18 wineries and two breweries. Proceeds benefit the East Central Community Organization Primary Care Clinic. For information, call 744-7670.
, DataTimes