The Food of Love

Fancy yourself as a would-be gastronome? Love nothing better than a spot of fine dining?

Whether you spend most of your time in the kitchen, or prefer digging into what has been whipped up for you, freelance writer Jessica, (whose first novel, Luxury is being published by Headline in 2009) will give you some food for thought.

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about spending a fortune on dinner out and frankly we’d far rather go to a restaurant when it doesn’t involve an overload of cheese (and we not talking food). So what better way to show someone that you love them than by lining up an evening of deliciousness, in?

If he’s health conscious or busy prepping for the marathon then get the day off to a good start by ordering a bespoke muesli or granola mix from Muddy Cook.

The selection of ingredients is top-notch, with an array of healthy options such as Goji berries and dried papaya, as well as more frivolous additions (we’d long forgotten about gummy bears). And, once you’ve mixed your own unique creation you can even name it after your beloved…

For an even more indulgent breakfast, you can’t beat smoked salmon, served with scrambled eggs and a glass of bucks fizz, or if you’re packing him off with lovingly prepared lunch then with cream cheese, lemon juice and black pepper.

Daylesford’s award winning organic smoked salmon is smoked for them by a traditional Scottish Smokery, and is a beautifully delicate pink, with an equally subtle flavour with just the right degree of oak.

A world away from the luridly flabby stuff you get in supermarkets, it also makes a great canapé or starter – try it with sour cream and blinis.

If you like the idea of sending something to your sweetheart, but flowers make them sneeze and a box of chocolates seems uninspired, Meg Rivers comes to the rescue with their package of two heart-shaped chocolate brownies, delivered to their door.

Sweeter than a card, and the perfect way to perk up their afternoon tea break. Plus you can add a personal message which the lovely cake-packers will handwrite and slip inside the box for you. (Keep it clean if you want to spare their blushes…)

Given the recent weather of late, you’ll probably want to go for something warming for dinner – a coq au vin or a hot chocolate fudge cake maybe... a Le Creuset heart-shaped dish is the perfect way to serve it.

Finally champagne might be the obvious choice for Valentine’s dinners, but consider a smooth red wine as an alternative – it’s more suited to the time of year and, a little easier on the wallet. Saint-Amour, one of the 10 Beaujolais Crus, is light, fruity, very drinkable and even more aptly named.

And as a final sweet treat, a trail of truffles would be enough to tempt anyone to follow them upstairs - not that they’re likely to need much more persuasion after you’ve plied them with that little lot…

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