Fire it up

At Angela's Coal Fired Pizza, your straw barely hits the soda before you get your pie. That's how fast pizzas ($13.50-$18.50, above, right) come out of the coal ovens here. They're heated to 900 degrees and were custom built in the Abruzzi region of Italy, designed less for speed than for the clean, crisp quality they impart to everything that goes in them. Soft, fluffy dough is lightly blackened on the outside, which owner Eric Sideri says he worked long and hard to perfect. Angela's other house specialty is buffalo wings ($8.50-$14.95, above, left), also cooked in the ovens. Sideri loves chicken but hates greasy wings, so he dresses them up as his Italian family does, with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and rosemary, and serves them with caramelized onions. They have a thin, crisp, golden skin. Bring your appetite. Angela's Coal Fired Pizza, 880 Broadway, Route 1 North, Saugus; 781-941- 2625. - DARRY MADDEN

Many kids prefer their milk spiked with chocolate. But what if you don't want to up their sugar intake at the same time? Sipahhs may be the solution. Unlike a generous squeeze of chocolate syrup (or a few heaping spoonfuls of strawberry-flavored powder), which can add 60 or more calories to an 8-ounce glass of milk, a Sipahh brings just half a teaspoon of sugar and about 15 calories to the party. Made by the Jel Sert Co. - they're the people behind the Wyler's and Royal brands - the straws are filled with flavor-infused beads that dissolve in cold milk. Individually wrapped straws come in boxes of 10 (about $2) in strawberry, cookies and cream, banana, and chocolate. There's no mixing or measuring involved, so there's no mess. Come to think of it, who says these have to be for kids? My iced coffee could use a little boost of chocolate. Available at many Walgreens stores, walgreens.com, or mybrandsinc.com. - LYLAH M. ALPHONSE

Mother-daughter partners Carol Jean Tuthill and Michele Lefevra have filled their Sweet Boutique in Framingham with nostalgic items like candy buttons on paper, Mary Janes, Pop Rocks, and licorice laces, along with fudge and hand-dipped nuts and fruits. The pair offer plenty of unusual party-ready items, such as chocolate cars, airplanes, poker chips, records, and sports paraphernalia. For those with dietary concerns, there is even a section of sugar-free chocolates and candies. Custom-made centerpieces and party favors for weddings, bar mitzvahs, and corporate events are a specialty, and for do-it-yourselfers, there are plenty of molds, melting chocolates, and gift bags available, along with lots of friendly advice. Sweet Boutique, 371 Worcester Road (Route 9), Framingham, 508-875-3388. - CAROLYN MAIBOR

At Pepper Pot Restaurant in Roxbury, owner Stanley Byfield says he's used to getting compliments on his home-style Jamaican cooking. His stewed beef ($9, right) is rich and layered with allspice and other flavors, though Byfield won't divulge the contents of his spice mix. "It's one of a kind," he says. "Everyone got to put his own spin on everything." Byfield, who learned his craft from his grandmother, likens Jamaican food to Italian home cooking, which he thinks uses aromatics, stewed meats, and sauces in a similar way. Red sauce lovers won't find their favorite dishes on Pepper Pot's dinner menu, but with curried goat, fried dumplings, tripe and beans, and other Jamaican comfort foods, you might happily trade Nonna's table for Stanley's. Pepper Pot, 208 Dudley St., Roxbury, 617-445-4409. pepperpotrestaurant.com. - LEIGH BELANGER