Toll-free hot lines and Web sites offer answers to cooking and food-safety questions for the holidays.

For poultry and meat prep and food safety:

U.S. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE MEAT, POULTRY HOTLINE
888-674-6854 or www.fsis.usda.gov
Food-safety specialists answer calls:
• 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays year-round
• Thanksgiving Day, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

The Web site has a 24-hour automated response system; recorded information is available 24 hours a day. Service also available in Spanish.

And some food companies:

BUTTERBALL TURKEY TALK-LINE

800-288-8372 or butterball.com

Home economists and nutritionists answer questions in English and Spanish.

• Nov. 3-26: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. weekdays

• 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 22-23

• 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Thanksgiving Day

• 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 28

Check Web site for 24-hour automated assistance and info on other resources.

CRISCO PIE HOTLINE

877-367-7438 or crisco.com

Baking experts answer questions about pie-making.

• 8 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays, with extended hours (7 a.m.-7 p.m.) Nov. 13-22 and Dec. 18-22.

• Closed Thanksgiving Day and Dec. 24-25.

• Recorded information is available 24 hours daily. • Online, click on “Articles and Tips,” then “Pie Central” for more resources.

• KING ARTHUR FLOUR CO. BAKERS HOTLINE

802-649-3717

Baking experts answer questions:

• 7 a.m.-8 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

• Sat.-Sun. through December.

• Exceptions: 8 a.m.-noon Dec. 24.

• Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

• 8 a.m-5 p.m. Dec. 31.

You can also e-mail questions to bakers@kingarthurflour.com or visit online, kingarthurflour.com. LiveChat is at www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes2008.

PERDUE CONSUMER HELP LINE

800-473-7383 or perdue.com

Representatives answer cooking, storage and other questions about poultry. Regular hours:

• 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

• Holiday hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Tues.

• 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 26

• 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

• Closed Nov. 23 and Christmas Day.

MORE HELP ONLINE

• eatturkey.com: The National Turkey Federation offers Thanksgiving recipes and cooking tips.

• epicurious.com: Recipes and articles from Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines, including a Thanksgiving primer.

• foodnetwork.com: The cable food network site has tips, recipes and videos from their lineup of celebrity chefs and hosts.

• kraftfoods.com: The food company’s Web site offers recipes, cooking tips and a holiday entertaining guide.

• landolakes.com: Land O’Lakes offers tips, techniques and recipes, for the feast.

• recipezaar.com: Site where readers share recipes has plenty of those, and tips too.

• www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/turkey/thanksgiving.html: The University of Illinois Extension offers a variety of cooking tips, carving information and holiday history. The site also is available in Spanish.