Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and we're all wondering what to get our significant others. I'll be honest, I'm not a Valentine's enthusiast, but I do appreciate the opportunity to make the one you love feel special and create a memory. Last year, my boyfriend, Seth, and I celebrated with dinner and tickets to the Nashville Ballet Company's contemporary performance of Attitude. Performed to live music, the ballet was exquisite and remains my favorite and most romantic date ever. I'm also no roses-for-Valentine's-Day kind of girl. I realize this makes me difficult. But if we're doing this commercialized love holiday thing, I say let's be original.
Need a few gift ideas? Here are ways to melt your Valentine's heart:
Need a few gift ideas? Here are ways to melt your Valentine's heart:
FOR HER
photo credit to http://www.republicoftea.com - Stackable Tea Tin from The Republic of Tea
- Prosecco + St. Germain — My cocktail of choice, handed down to me by a former roommate who taught the meaning of celebrating with a signature drink. She would pour the bubbly prosecco into a champagne glass and top with a splash of the elderflower liquor. It's an elegant indulgence and makes everything feel fancy.
- Fresh Rose Mask — Instead of showing up with flowers in hand, give her this mask. She'll get to enjoy the beautiful, floral smell for much longer and her glowing skin will thank you!
- Buy a dress for her to wear to dinner
FOR HIM
- Voluspa Suede Blanc Candle — With an aroma of leather and cedar, this candle has a great masculine scent.
- Leather Dopp kit from Fossil
- First-edition copy of his favorite book
- A good Scotch (*This idea is brought to you by Seth, along with: a watch, a high speed go-kart outing, and sky diving. Thanks, Hun. Now I know.)
DIY GIFTS:
- Homemade shaving cream — this was Seth's gift last year, and he's asked for it again this year. Win!
- Write her hand written notes and hide them in places you know she'll find them.
- Serve your sweetie breakfast in bed with a french press coffee.
- Create a playlist of songs that remind you of him.
- Cook dinner together while enjoying a glass of your favorite wine — quality time and a quality meal!
- Write sweet nothings on mugs for each other to be reminded of a favorite quote he or she has said.
If you're wondering where the requisite chocolate is on the gift list, I saved the best for last. This orange hot chocolate was inspired by one I tasted last weekend in Central Market. It has a pleasant hit of citrus, which brightens it, and favors the thicker, rich quality of European hot chocolate. Per usual, those Europeans get it right, especially in this department. They don't merely take powdered cocoa, stir it into warm milk, and call . Nope. Europeans actually melt chocolate —the highest quality they can find — into the milk for a decadent dessert. It is literally like drinking hot chocolate.
Whip up this drinking chocolate for your Valentine — it will work even better than Cupid's arrow. You can thank me and the Europeans later.
Whip up this drinking chocolate for your Valentine — it will work even better than Cupid's arrow. You can thank me and the Europeans later.
ORANGE HOT CHOCOLATE
Ingredients:
1 orange, zested
4 cups coconut milk
8 ounces dark chocolate
1/4 cup cacao powder
2 tablespoons honey
pinch of salt
Method:
1 orange, zested
4 cups coconut milk
8 ounces dark chocolate
1/4 cup cacao powder
2 tablespoons honey
pinch of salt
Method:
- Heat coconut milk over medium-low heat in saucepan.
- Once warm, whisk in orange zest, cacao, dark chocolate, and salt.
- Using an immersion blender, whip the ingredients until frothy and smooth.
- Serve with whipped topping and a pinch of orange zest and chocolate shavings.
KITCHEN NOTES
Cacao is not the same as it more widely recognized cousin, cocoa powder. Cacao is raw, unprocessed, and higher in antioxidants than cocoa; however, if you can't find it, cocoa will work just as well here.
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