Talking Turkey

Cooking a 12-pound bird isn’t what it used to be. It’s become an art requiring lots of work and, in some cases, assistance. Those who feel stuck or intimidated can get help from three popular turkey hotlines. There is the Foster Farm turkey help line (800) 255-7227, the Reynolds Kitchen turkey tip line (800) 745-4000 and the Butterball turkey talk line (800) 323-4848.

Kosher Bird

It’s not easy to find a kosher turkey dinner on Thanksgiving but Golan in North Hollywood offers them. “Our meat is strictly kosher and we are supervised by the Rabbi Council,” said manager Ronit Yakovi. A turkey with mashed potatoes, cranberry and stuffing for 10 to 12 people goes for $119.99.

Veggie Holiday

Not everybody eats meat on Thanksgiving so Canopy of the Sky Cafe in Northridge serves a complete dinner minus the bird. The centerpiece is a cashew nut loaf. Side dishes include a gourmet salad, nondairy mashed potatoes, soup and cranberries. The restaurant is open from 2 to 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving and the complete meal costs $21.95

Popular Dessert

Beginning the week before Thanksgiving, the Cheesecake Factory in Woodland Hills sells about 300 pumpkin and pumpkin pecan cheesecakes a day, says manager Karen Nagy. The dessert is creamier than regular pumpkin pie and probably contains a lot more calories. “They don’t tell us how many grams of fat they have,” Nagy said.