The cane scrutiny
The 14-inch handmade candy canes produced by Priscilla Candies, an 80-year-old family-run business in Lawrence, weigh 1 pound apiece. Peppermint, wintergreen, and molasses are the staple flavors, though you can also get chocolate and cherry. The process is precise. Each cane begins with one colored molten piece, then red or green strips (for the stripes) are laid on top, and while the mixture is warm, the column is hand-rolled until the stripes start curling around. Then they're cut with scissors and bent to make the classic hook. The only other place you'll find these yummy big candies ($10 each) is at the South End's Fresh Eggs. For years owner Ned Hand has placed a huge order and made an early pilgrimage to Priscilla's to bring the giant canes into the city. They're fun to give and, no doubt, fun to get. Available at Priscilla Candies, 428 Essex St., Lawrence, 978-682- 2893, priscillacandies.com; and Fresh Eggs, 58 Clarendon St., 617-247-8150. -- RACHEL TRAVERS
Pocket the difference
For 15 years, brothers Moshe and Daniel Sander have fed shoppers, students, and tourists at their Back Bay restaurant, Cafe Jaffa. Many of their Middle Eastern specialties come from recipes their mother passed on, including shishlik (called shish kebab in Israel), which Moshe Sander says his mother used to prepare regularly for family meals. At the restaurant, finely ground beef is seasoned with cumin and garlic, shaped into patties, grilled , and served in a pita with tahini dressing, pickles, and red cabbage ($6.75). It's a satisfying meal, priced so you can continue your Christmas shopping after lunch. Cafe Jaffa, 48 Gloucester St., 617-536-0230. -- LEIGH BELANGER
Solid choice
It's an old story. A wine glass breaks in a crowded dishwasher or someone accidentally knocks a glass off the table and it crashes on the floor. Schott Zwiesel's Tritan stemware will make these and other breakages passe. Made with titanium and zirconium instead of lead, these crystal glasses are resistant to scratching, chipping, and breaking. The company says they've put the glasses through endurance tests and claim they're the hardest, strongest, and clearest available. Surprisingly, they're also elegant , with smooth lip s and slender stems perfect for swirling wine , and bowls that taper at the rim to help focus the aromas. Schott Zwiesel makes several lines of Tritan stemware ($10 each) in various shapes and sizes. In this area, look for the line called Forte. Available at Sur La Table, the Mall at Chestnut Hill, 199 Boylston St., 617-244-0213 , surlatable.com; Michelle Willey, 1636 Washington St., 617-424-6700 ; Kitchen Outfitters, 342 Great Road, Acton, 978-263-1955 ; Shubie's Liquors and Marketplace, 16 Atlantic Ave., Marblehead, 781-631-0149. -- ANN TRIEGER
Main squeeze
It's amazing how a small amount of pesto can give life to a bowl of minestrone, a pot of mashed potatoes, or a store-bought chicken salad. Making pesto (from the Italian word "pestare" or "to pound") the old-fashioned way by pounding fresh basil leaves in a marble mortar is out of the question for time-pressed cooks. But adding a squirt of Amore's pesto paste (about $3.99 for a 2.8-ounce tube) is as fast and easy as seasoning with salt and pepper. Made in Liguria, the heartland of pesto, and packed in tubes -- like toothpaste -- Amore's pesto is a balanced, heady combination of basil, olive oil, and garlic. Once opened, it keeps for at least 45 days in the refrigerator. That will save you a lot of pounding. Available at most Stop & Shop stores, Shaw's, Atlantic Food Mart, 30 Haven St., Reading, 781-944-0054 , and amazon.com. -- JEAN KRESSY
