The Gourmet Gift Guide for Valentine’s Day

It’s been a tumultuous start to 2021, so it’s no surprise if Valentine’s Day has slipped off your radar. If you’ve yet to buy a gift, we’ve got you covered. From freshly-shucked oysters to virtual cook-alongs, here are our favourite last-minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas for foodies.

Personalised Gin or Whisky

Most people appreciate a bottle of artisan gin or whisky as a present, but you might worry it’s a little too impersonal for Valentine’s Day. The Whisky Exchange is offering bottles of London Dry Gin and Special Reserve Highland Whisky with personalised labels, so you can write a special message to a loved one.

The gin is the first of its kind to be developed for The Whisky Exchange, and is made with a blend of seven expertly-selected botanicals, including grapefruit, coriander seed, liquorice root and course juniper.

The personalised gin comes with a speedy delivery option, making this the perfect last minute gift.

From £39.95 at www.thewhiskyexchange.com

British Rosé and Gin-Infused Chocolates

This Valentine’s Day Mirabeau, the award-winning British rosé brand, has collaborated with master chocolatier, Paul A Young, to create two beautifully indulgent chocolate truffles; the Mirabeau Gin Ganache and the Mirabeau La Folie Sparkling Rosé truffle.

The gift includes a nine-piece selection of Mirabeau-inspired chocolates and a 70cl bottle of Mirabeau pink Dry Gin. It’s even available with next-day delivery!

From £55 at www.mirabeauwine.com

A Cook-Along Meal with a Private Chef

The team at Fizzbox are offering some fantastic virtual experiences for Valentine’s Day. One of our favourites is a virtual cooking class with a private chef. You’ll receive an ingredients list beforehand and then hop onto a video call with an experienced chef, who’ll walk you through the process.

You’ll be creating a sumptuous three-course meal of scallops with cauliflower purée & pancetta, lamb tenderloin with tzatziki & pomegranate and an indulgent lava cake for dessert. Once you’re finished the chef will ring off, leaving you to enjoy the fruits of your labour.

From £48 per person at www.fizzbox.com

Delicious Rosé Beer

If you’re planning a low-key Valentine’s Day, but you want to make it that extra bit special, then why not head to your local M&S store to grab their new Rosé Beer’d. Brewed with hibiscus flowers to give it a pale pink blush and fruity notes, this lager has the perfect balance of crisp malt and subtle floral aromas.

From £2.50 at Marks & Spencer’s stores

A Chocolate-Tasting Experience

Choc Affair has recently unveiled a Tasting Experience Gift Set, which will teach you how to taste chocolate and pair it with wine. The set includes six single origin dark chocolate bars, a tasting information booklet, a tasting board and even aroma wheels.

From £19.95 at www.choc-affair.com

Send-A-Negroni

If you’re apart from your partner this Valentine’s Day, then we recommend the ‘Send-A-Negroni’ kit. It’s a readymade cocktail kit delivered anywhere around the UK, and can be customised with a personalised message. The company recommends enjoying it on a virtual call together with a lockdown meal kit and a movie.

From £10 at www.sendanegroni.com

A Romantic Chocolate, Oyster and Whisky Hamper

We love this romantic offering from Old Pulteney Whisky company: a Valentine’s Day hamper of fresh sustainably sourced oysters, a shucking knife, a bottle of Old Pulteney whisky and a box of Guylian’s iconic Sea Shells. As ‘the Maritime Malt’, Old Pulteney’s citrusy notes and a briny finish make an ideal topping for oysters, with the honey and cream notes pairing perfectly with Guylian’s smooth seashells.

From £60 at www.fishtoyourdoor.com