PORT ANGELES – With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, it’s time to talk turkey.

Statistics show that incidents of food poisoning go up this time of year, and it’s often because of improper handling of the bird. Clallam County Health Officer Allison Berry Unthank says it’s all about timing, temperature and tidiness.

Okay, so if thawing a turkey takes about 24 hours for every 5 pounds, it’s probably too late to buy a frozen turkey that’s over 10 pounds at this point.

As for cooking the bird, Unthank has some advice there, too.

And the last way to make sure your guests leave the festivities for all the right reasons has to do with handling of the turkey when it’s raw.

So let’s review. Frozen turkeys should be thawing in the fridge right now. Have a meat thermometer handy and shoot for 165 degrees. And be sure you clean all hands and surfaces that come into contact with raw poultry.

As for the best way to cook a turkey: that’s definitely frying. But that’s another conversation.