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, www.fsis.usda.gov. Food safety specialists answer calls about meat and poultry preparation and cooking questions, year-round Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., except Nov. 25, Thanksgiving Day, when hours will be from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Recorded information is available 24 hours a day at the same number. Also available in Spanish.
• Butterball Turkey Talk-Line: (800) 288-8372, www.butterball.com. 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. Hours are: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. through Friday; 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Nov. 24; 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 25, Thanksgiving Day; 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 26-Dec. 23; 6 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 24-Dec. 25, Christmas Eve-Christmas Day; and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 26.

Automated assistance available outside the above hours and all year long.

• Foster Farms Turkey Helpline: (800) 255-7227, www.fosterfarms.com. Turkey-cooking questions are answered and information given by live operators 24 hours a day through Nov. 29 (including Thanksgiving Day). Before and after those dates, the helpline is available 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday.

On the Net

• 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. Thanksgiving and holiday recipes, with tips from professional chefs and cookbook writers, from turkey through desserts.

http://www.southernfood.about.com offers Thanksgiving recipes and turkey information and hints.

http://www.bhg.com. Offers Thanksgiving planning and advice.