We recently came across these words of wisdom: “If you’re not able to cook with joy for Thanksgiving, it’s better to dine out.” To that end, several local restaurants will be open on Thursday for Thanksgiving dinner.
• Garfrerick’s Café in Oxford will feature a gourmet Thanksgiving buffet from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday. $24.99 per person. Garfrerick’s is also offering turkey and sides for take-out, today and Thursday. 256-831-0044.
• The Peerless Grille in downtown Anniston will be open at 4 p.m. Thursday, serving traditional turkey dinner as well as its regular full menu. 256-238-1899.
• Western Sizzlin in Anniston will be open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday. Western Sizzlin in Oxford will be open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Adults $9.95, children 10 and under, $5.49.
• Golden Corral at Oxford Exchange will be open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday.
Sheriff’s office fries turkeys
The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office is holding its seventh annual turkey fry today, from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. behind the sheriff’s office headquarters. They’ll be preparing meals for charity, and frying up residents’ turkeys for free. (It’s BYOT — Bring Your Own Turkey.)
Thanksgiving hotlines
• Butterball Turkey Talk-Line: 1-800-288-8372, or www.butterball.com.
• Crisco Pie Central: 1-877-367-7438, or www.crisco.com. The webpage will host a live chat with pie experts weekdays from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 14-23 and Dec. 12-22.
• Nestle: The maker of Libby's pumpkin pie filling fields questions at www.verybestbaking.com. Click on "Thanksgiving collection" for a live chat 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays.
• USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: 1-888-674-6854, or for more food safety questions, visit www.fsis.usda.gov. There's also a 24-hour automated response system where you can ask "Karen" for food prep advice.
• Martha Stewart: Martha is available to solve viewers' last-minute dinner dilemmas via e-mail at martha@marthastewart.com or Twitter hashtag: AskMartha. She's also hosting her annual "Thanksgiving Hotline Show" at 9 a.m. today on the Hallmark Channel.
What Thanksgiving costs
The cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner will rise by 13 percent this year, the biggest increase in the 26 years of the American Farm Bureau Federation's informal price survey.
This year, the average cost of a meal for 10 is expected to be $49.20, up $5.73 from last year.
Turkey gobbled up a good chunk of the price increase. A 16-pound bird will cost $21.57 this year, up more than 22 percent from last year.
The survey found that the price for a gallon of whole milk had increased by 42 cents to $3.66. A 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix was $3.03, up 41 cents. A pound of green peas was $1.68, up 24 cents; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.88, up 24 cents; a dozen brown-n-serve rolls, $2.30, up 18 cents; three pounds of sweet potatoes, $3.26, up 7 cents; and fresh cranberries, $2.48, up 7 cents.
— Compiled from staff and wire reports. Got news? Email Lisa Davis, ldavis@annistonstarcom.
