Many tackle cooking Thanksgiving birds for the first time this year

Lots of newbie chefs will be looking for advice on turkey preparation this year as they face the daunting task usually left to Mom or another experienced family member. Health authorities are concerned, for example, that many will fail to thaw birds properly before cooking. “You’ll basically have a turkey popsicle that maybe looks good, but it’s not going to be cooked,” said Frank Proto at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York.