Done to a crisp

If the De'Longhi convection toaster oven ($99.95) doesn't toast English muffins as well as a boring old toaster oven, it surely does a much better job with rotisserie chicken. All toasting sins will be forgiven when you pull a perfectly crispy, golden-all-over bird off the spit of this small oven. Convection ovens, which circulate air with a fan, cook food at a lower temperature and more evenly by eliminating hot spots. It takes a minute to get the bird on the spit securely, and you'll feel like an anxious parent when you finally close the door and get the chicken turning. But that will pass soon enough. There are all kinds of things to experiment with - pizza, fish, pork, breads, lasagna. Did we mention rotisserie chicken? Santa: Deliver to families who are frantic at the end of the day. Available at Macy's and True Value locations. - DARRY MADDEN

If it seems scientifically impossible for cake to be this light, just accept that and move forward, a piece of panettone in one hand, mascarpone in the other. Bauli's all-natural, preservative-free panettone is made - no kidding - by three gentlemen of Verona, Italy. Alberto, Adriano, and Carlo Bauli still run their father's business and make the sweet, golden bread (3 1/2 ounces for $3.79) the traditional way. Soft sultanas (made from white seedless grapes, they're larger than currants but smaller than traditional raisins) freckle the cake and glazed orange peel provides a subtle harmony. Slathered with mascarpone is one way to eat it, or use slices of panettone instead of ladyfingers in tiramisu. But the old way is often best, a simple warm piece and a glass of vin santo. Just ask the three gentlemen of Verona. Available at Shaw's markets. - DARRY MADDEN

The problem with dried fruits is that they can be, well, dry - and only faintly reminiscent of the bright, fresh-tasting summer treats they once were. Favols' "Fruits Saveurs" from France include peaches, pears, apricots, figs, and prunes that are plump, moist, and vividly colored. They're dehydrated in a special process that concentrates the flavor without sacrificing the juiciness, then vacuum packed. The fruits are a splurge ($8 to $10 for 8 ounces), and ideal for the person on your list who has everything. Save the inferior varieties for baking and braising. Available at The Cheese Shop, 61 Central St., Wellesley, 781-237-0916; Formaggio Kitchen, 244 Huron Ave., Cambridge, 617-354-4750; and South End Formaggio, 268 Shawmut Ave., 617-350-6996. - LISA ZWIRN

The hand-cut doughnuts at Doughboy Doughnuts and Deli are a disappearing breed, says Phyllis Fandel, longtime manager of the South Boston shop. Dough for both cake and yeasted doughnuts ($5.50 a dozen) are rolled out on canvas, stamped out into rounds, and cooked in the fryer. The 30-year-old shop originally opened in Jamaica Plain and expanded to locations in West Roxbury, Roslindale, and Quincy - most of which have since been replaced by Dunkin' Donuts, says Fandel, whose shop is within a mile of several of the ubiquitous orange-and-pink coffee franchises. How does she compete? "I try not to compete," Fandel says. "We just have better stuff." Doughboy Doughnuts and Deli, 220 Dorchester Ave., 617-269-8741. - LEIGH BELANGER