SWEET INSPIRATIONS LAST-MINUTE GIFTS FOR THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE.Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor Valentine's Day Valentine's Day: see Saint Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day Lovers' holiday celebrated on February 14, the feast day of St. Valentine, one of two 3rd-century Roman martyrs of the same name. St. is made for more than sweethearts and romantics. It's an ideal time to say ``I love you'' to the food lover in your life. For the love of your life, you might opt for a bottle of red icewine, or a box of sinfully rich chocolates. A child or grandmother would love the sentiments shared in a small but yummy festively decorated cupcake, a Chocolove bar or chocolate candy hearts. A mom who bakes or cooks might welcome a heart-shaped cake pan, an ice cream maker A domestic ice cream maker or ice cream freezer is a machine used to make small quantities of ice cream at home. Ice cream makers may stir the mixture by hand-cranking or with an electric motor, and may chill the ice cream by using a freezing mixture, by pre-cooling the , heart dish towels or a cookbook to share her love and delight with the family year-round. Dad might appreciate a package of chocolate cherry coffee, an ice cream cake Ice cream cake is either ice cream in the shape of a cake or ice cream and cake layered together to make a single form. The idea of ice cream cake came from desserts composed of cream and cookies or cake called trifles, which first turned up in the Renaissance. or a bottle of chocolate beer. There are lots of passionate possibilities in the collection we've assembled to share with family, friends and lovers on this special day. If you haven't planned ahead, any of these can be picked up today at local stores - so there's no excuse for not taking a few moments and sharing your loving sentiments this Valentine's Day. YUMMY CUPCAKES: The recently opened Yummy Cupcakes shop in Burbank offers an array of fun, fabulous valentine cupcake designs in flavors including vanilla/vanilla topped with vanilla buttercream, red sprinkles and a red heart; and chocolate/chocolate spread with hot-pink buttercream, then rolled in chocolate sprinkles or topped with white buttercream and rolled in red and pink sprinkles. Other valentine options include Red Velvet, Strawberry Cream or Cream Puff cream puff also cream·puff n. 1. A shell of light pastry filled with whipped cream, custard, or ice cream. 2. Slang A weakling. 3. Slang An old, especially secondhand car in very good condition. . Decorations vary - some are topped with cherries, chocolate, pink or white hearts, assorted design sprinkles, etc. Cupcakes range from $2.50 to $3.50 each, depending on flavor and decorations. Kids and adults will love them. The store, at 2918 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, (818) 558-1080, offers 10 different flavor selections per day. Get there early (they open at 11 a.m.) for best selection. www.yummycupcakes.com. CHOCOLOVE BARS: Discerning chocolate lovers will fall in love with Chocolove bars in assorted flavors (11 are available) at Whole Foods, Gelson's or Bristol Farms Bristol Farms is a grocery store chain that markets itself as being "upscale", with thirteen stores located mainly in the Southern California market. Formerly a subsidiary of Albertsons, Bristol Farms is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Supervalu, Inc. . The bars, made with Belgian chocolate, are sinfully rich. Among our favorites are Raspberries in Dark Chocolate (fabulous), Cherries & Almonds in Dark Chocolate, Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate, and Toffee & Almonds in Milk Chocolate. Each wrapper includes the cocoa content. The all-natural 3.2-ounce chocolate bars (made in Boulder, Colo.) with a price tag of $2.79 taste great. Give one of these bars as a valentine greeting (with your own personal note) instead of a commercial card. (888) 246-2656; www.chocolove.com. SEE'S CANDIES See's Candies is a manufacturer and distributor of high quality candy, particularly chocolate, in the western United States. It was founded by Charles See and his mother Mary See in Los Angeles, California in 1921. The company is now headquartered in South San Francisco, California. GARNET HEART: Romance a special chocolate fan with a heart-shaped box covered with garnet-red satin pleats filled with a 2-pound assortment of milk and dark chocolates. $39.75 at See's Candies stores (various Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. locations). (800) 347-7337; www.sees.com. JOSEPH SCHMIDT CONFECTIONS Joseph Schmidt Confections is a San Francisco-based chocolatier, which produces gourmet confections using imported Belgian chocolate. The company is known for the quality and flavor of its hand-decorated confections and its stylish and creative hand-made packaging which changes MINI MOSAICS: Wow your sweetheart or make an impression with a small collectible batik batik (bətēk`), method of decorating fabrics practiced for centuries by the natives of Indonesia. It consists of applying a design to the surface of the cloth by using melted wax. heart box with lovely hand-painted red and green flower designs from San Francisco chocolatier choc·o·la·tier n. 1. One who makes or sells chocolate. 2. A place where chocolate is made or sold. [French, from chocolat, chocolate, from Spanish chocolate Joseph Schmidt. It's filled with four flavors of Mini Mosaics - Almond, Coffee, Hazelnut and Orange - each made with a combination of Belgian chocolate plus other ingredients. The chocolates sport designer looks with diagonal strips; orange dots and yellow coloring; a contemporary red, chocolate and white pattern; or scallop scallop or pecten, marine bivalve mollusk. Like its close relative the oyster, the scallop has no siphons, the mantle being completely open, but it differs from other mollusks in that both mantle edges have a row of steely blue "eyes" and style patterns. The box contains two layers - and each mini bite is dynamite. Available at Gelson's in Calabasas, Bristol Farms in West Hollywood and Neiman-Marcus in Beverly Hills, the 8-ounce box is $32. The company also offers a 7.5-ounce Velvet Heart box filled with a dozen of Schmidt's divine signature large chocolate truffles for $33. ELECTRIC ICE CREAM MAKER:If your valentine (or your family) loves ice cream, a red Cuisinart electric ice cream machine that produces 1 1/2 quarts of ice cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet in short order is bound to be a hit. Add ingredients to a prechilled, removable work bowl (keep in the freezer when not in use so it's ready on a moment's notice) and flip the switch. It's 10 by 10 1/4 inches wide and 15 inches high. Also available in white; $49.95 at Williams-Sonoma at Fashion Square in Sherman Oaks and other selected locations. HEART-SHAPED BAKING PAN: For valentine bakers, a Nordic Ware cast aluminum fluted heart-shaped baking pan with a nonstick non·stick adj. Permitting easy removal of adherent food particles: a frying pan with a nonstick surface. nonstick Adjective interior (for easy release and cleanup) is made to order for elegant-looking cakes that can be filled with fresh red raspberries or strawberries and sweetened sweet·en v. sweet·ened, sweet·en·ing, sweet·ens v.tr. 1. To make sweet or sweeter by adding sugar, honey, saccharin, or another sweet substance. 2. To make more pleasant or agreeable. whipped cream or a chocolate mousse. It's 10 3/4 inches wide and has a 10-cup capacity; $29.95 at Williams-Sonoma stores (Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Sherman Oaks and various locations throughout the Los Angeles area). INDULGENT ICE CREAM CAKES: Share a Baskin-Robbins valentine ice cream cake topped with a ``Be Mine'' message and heart designs on the frosting frosting the slight graying of the haircoat around the face, particularly muzzle, in dogs with aging and as a regular feature of some breeds such as the Belgian shepherd dog. with your sweetheart or a friend. Pick up this small 4-inch-square cake (about $10) in your favorite ice cream and cake flavors at a Baskin-Robbins location near you. The stores are also offering 6-inch ($14.99 to $15.99 each) and 9-inch ($26.99 to $29.99) round ``My Valentine'' polka-dot cake designs. If you want to show your love more simply, pick up a pint or quart of Love Potion No. 31 flavor ice cream (a blend of white chocolate and raspberry ice creams swirled with a raspberry ribbon and chocolate chips mixed in) for that special someone. www.baskinrobbins.com. SPECIAL CHOCOLATES: Los Angeles chocolatier Kristy Choo of Jin Patisserie pa·tis·se·rie n. A bakery specializing in French pastry. [French pâtisserie, from Old French pastiserie, from pasticier, to make pastry, from *pastitz, offers a 12-piece box (7.5 ounces) of assorted hand-crafted flavored chocolates infused with herbs, spices and teas for $25. Other size boxes are also available and can be custom-packed with favorite choices from among the 21 flavors of chocolates offered. In addition, a small dark or white chocolate heart filled with eight pieces of chocolate is available on Valentine's Day for $20. It is 3 3/4 by 3 1/2 inches and weighs 5.5 ounces. Pick up at Jin Patisserie, 1202 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. (310) 399-8801; www.jinpatisserie.com. Also available are cookies, pastries and cakes. RED-AND-WHITE HEART DISH TOWELS: Unromantic but fun, a set of three red-and-white heart valentine all-cotton washable dish towels will keep thoughts of loved ones with you whenever you use them. $9.95 per set at Crate & Barrel stores (Topanga Plaza and other locations). RED ICEWINE: Share an Inniskillin 2004 Cabernet Franc Icewine with your special sweetheart. Rich with the flavors of apple, strawberry and cranberry and aromatic with herbs, eucalyptus and spiced apple with a refreshing acidity, it's an indulgent choice - and pairs well with chocolates and chocolate-based desserts, caramelized desserts and blue-veined and semi-soft cheeses. A 375-milliliter bottle retails for $100 and is available at Woodland Hills Wine Co., Wally's in Los Angeles, Duke of Bourbon Duke of Bourbon (French: Duc de Bourbon) is a title in the peerage of France. It was created in the first half of the 14th century for the eldest son of Robert of France, Count of Clermont and Beatrice of Burgundy, heiress of the lordship of Bourbon. in Canoga Park and Mission Wines in Pasadena. Any leftover wine can be kept, corked corked adj. 1. Sealed with or as if with a cork. 2. Tainted in flavor by an unsound cork: corked port. 3. Blackened by burnt cork. and refrigerated re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. , for three to five weeks. DARK CHOCOLATE HEARTS: New pink-foil-wrapped solid dark chocolate hearts (with a hint of vanilla) join the red-foil-wrapped milk chocolate ones at See's. Give an 8-ounce bag ($4.75) or a 1-pound bag ($9.50); pick up at See's Candies shops (various Los Angeles locations). (800) 347-7337; www.sees.com. SILICONE HEART POT-HOLDERS: When you're baking or cooking up a little love in the kitchen, pink or red silicone heart-shaped pot-holders will come in handy Verb 1. come in handy - be useful for a certain purpose be - have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun); "John is rich"; "This is not a good answer" . They are heat/flame resistant up to 600 degrees F and dishwasher safe. $3.99 each at Target. VALENTINE COFFEE: A valentine blend of ground coffee - in chocolate cherry flavor - is available in 12-ounce bags ($6.99 each) at Cost Plus World Market (Woodland Hills and other Los Angeles locations). HEART-SHAPED PASTA: Valentine Pasta in a 17.6-ounce package contains heart-shaped pasta in two colors. A product of Italy, it's made with durum wheat durum wheat: see wheat. semolina, water and dehydrated de·hy·drate v. de·hy·drat·ed, de·hy·drat·ing, de·hy·drates v.tr. 1. To remove water from; make anhydrous. 2. To preserve by removing water from (vegetables, for example). tomato. It cooks in 5 to 7 minutes in a large pot of boiling water. Serve with your favorite sauce. $2.49 per bag at Cost Plus World Market (Woodland Hills and other Los Angeles locations). CHOCOLATE BEER: A novelty for beer fans, Samuel Adams offers Chocolate Bock Noun 1. bock - a very strong lager traditionally brewed in the fall and aged through the winter for consumption in the spring bock beer lager beer, lager - a general term for beer made with bottom fermenting yeast (usually by decoction mashing); originally , a limited-edition brew that combines cocoa beans, a hint of vanilla and rich, dark beer. Packaged in a 750-milliliter amber bottle with an embossed em·boss tr.v. em·bossed, em·boss·ing, em·boss·es 1. To mold or carve in relief: emboss a design on a coin. 2. pewter label, it's $14.99 at Beverages and More (Van Nuys, Canoga Park and Valencia locations). FLAVORED MALT BEVERAGE: Passionate Kiss, the newest flavored malt beverage (3.2 percent alcohol by volume) in the Seagram's Cooler Escapes line (it joins 12 others), is a combination of strawberry, lime and passion fruit. Vibrant red in color, it's ideal for Valentine's Day celebrations. Packed in 12-ounce bottles in a four-pack with a suggested retail price of $3.99, look for it at Ralphs or Albertsons. Drink it chilled ``as is,'' or use to make other drinks. Natalie Haughton, (818) 713-3692 natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 17 photos Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) Heart's desire Delicious ways to say `I love you' Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer; Cupcake from Yummy Cupcakes, Burbank (2 -- color) Yummy Cupcakes (3 -- color) See's Candies Garnet Heart (4 -- color) Chocolove Bars (5 -- color) Joseph Schmidt Confections Mini Mosaics (6 -- color) Electric Ice Cream Maker (7 -- color) Heart-Shaped Baking Pan (8 -- color) Indulgent Ice Cream Cakes (9 -- color) Special Chocolates (10 -- color) Red-and-White Heart Dish Towels (11 -- color) Red Icewine (12 -- color) Chocolate Beer (13 -- color) Silicone Heart Pot-Holders (14 -- color) Valentine Coffee (15 -- color) Flavored Malt Beverage (16 -- color) Dark Chocolate Hearts |
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