Health

Does Valentine’s Day get in the way of your lover’s heart?


A generation ago, a bouquet of roses or a box of chocolates was all it took to keep your significant other happy on February 14. Not anymore. In 2022, if you want to impress them, you’ll have to raise an obstacle.

That’s right, Valentine’s Day treats – filled with cakes, cookies, jams and truffles – have been big business this year. Some boxes can even squeeze a dozen roses.

For example, Fortnum & Mason features a series of six different Valentine’s Day obstructions for the first time ever. And they’re not the only ones spotting trends.

Gemma Barton at Cartwright & Butler, the Yorkshire gift company, which once specializes in teas and cookies, said: “We’ve really increased the scope of the Valentine’s Day block this year. ‘We saw a lot of searches for them last year during the lockdown and have been responsive to consumer demand. I think it’s because people are more emotional. With everything we’ve been through the past few years, people really want to give gifts to people who mean a lot to them. ‘

Harry Wallop (pictured) gives his verdict on the selection of items that hinder Valentine's Day from being available to buy in the UK

Harry Wallop (pictured) gives his verdict on the selection of Valentine’s Day hamper items available for purchase in the UK

Offers range from little more than a box of chocolates and small bottles of wine to sumptuous tortillas filled with truffle cheddar, fine wine and scented candles – and also some aimed at men. gender. After all, what speaks to romance more than real beer and a pork pie?

But with so many offers, which one is the best? And considering Valentine’s Day is also known as the day when normal food costs twice the normal price, is there anything worth skipping?

ROSE-PETALLED ROMANCE

The Fortnum’s Couples Retreat Hamper, £175, fortnumandmason.com

As you’d expect with Britain’s most famous bread-box supplier, this product is beautifully presented and filled with wonderfully elegant treats.

It is aimed at someone who has a sweet tooth and loves everything in abundance. The Gianduja Chocolate Wafer is not a sponge cake but a large, attractive flat Ferrero Rocher; super sweet (freeze-dried) chocolate raspberries; and you also get truffles.

Harry said The Fortnum¿s Couples Retreat Hamper (pictured) is aimed at someone who has a tooth and loves all things rich

Harry said The Fortnum’s Couples Retreat Hamper (pictured) is aimed at people with teeth and loves all things rich

There’s also English sparkling wine, olives, some pistachios and clotted cream biscuits, and a fancy rose tea house. A slightly quirky addition is a small box of rose petals to help you ‘flirt with the god or goddess of your life’. If you insist.

The tote bag costs £122, so you’re spending around £50 more on an admittedly very elegant carry-on bag. Delivery is an extra £6. For many that will be a price worth paying for quality seals. For the rest of us, it borders on the bon chen. 4/5

SWEET TREATMENT

Way To Your Heart Hammer, £40, hotelchocolat.com

Harry said the Way To Your Heart Hamper (pictured) looks special thanks to the presentation and the amount of goodies you get, which is great value

Harry said the Way To Your Heart Hamper (pictured) looks special thanks to the presentation and the amount of goodies you get, which is great value

This is an elegant box, not a hindrance, but looks special thanks to its presentation, with all the different chocolates and bottles of Prosco on display.

The Fizz is a pretty little bottle—a generous single measure, rather than large enough to share. But there are plenty of interesting chocolates, including the Hotel Chocolat brand H-Box, filled with caramel, fruit-filled chocolates, and praline. Strawberries and ice cream are delicious. For the amount of gifts you get, this is a great value. 4/5

HERE FOR BEER

The Way to My Heart Grazing Gift, £40, markandspencer.com

Harry said The Way To My Heart Grazing Gift (pictured) was fun but the feeling wasn't very special

Harry said The Way To My Heart Grazing Gift (pictured) was fun but the feeling wasn’t very special

Is this an obstacle? Is not. While Marks & Spencer is eager to jump on the ice, it lists this – along with the inevitable Colin the Caterpillar gift bag – in the Valentine’s Special section of its website.

Targeted directly at the pork and cheese-loving man in your life, it comes with a cloth tote and includes two bottles of blonde Southwold beer, a chewy pork bun, pork scratch, a large bag of crisps, caramelized red onion chutney, crackers, cheese curds (which are amazing, by the way) and a heart-shaped truck of truffle flavored cheddar, which was also delicious. Plus, you get a bag of greasy chocolate hearts and three Love Whips, Marks & Spencer’s twist on their more unique Walnut Whips.

It’s fun, but it doesn’t feel special. And you can pick up content for £26 plus furniture by shopping in the store.3/5

BELLINIS IN BED

Hamper For Two Valentine’s Breakfast, £65, hampers.com

Harry says the Valentine¿s Hamper For Two breakfast (pictured) comes in a bamboo tray, which is a great alternative to a food tray

Harry says the Hamper For Two Valentine’s Breakfast (pictured) comes in a bamboo tray, which is a good alternative to the tray

Instead of splurging on an expensive dinner for two at your local pub, why not share breakfast in bed?

The block includes a number of emerging British brands including Coaltown Coffee, based in Ammanford, South Wales and Husk & Honey Granola, which produces delicious cereals in South London and supplies luxury hotels.

Also included are: Ace tea, strawberry and tonka bean jam, two large tea cakes, a bottle of wine and some peach juice so you can make your own bellini cocktail in bed.

Bamboo trays are a great alternative to a storage tray and will make a great storage solution for your papers afterward – if you’re not feeling romantic!

There’s a reasonable premium to pay for the hitch but the product selection is great – and so is the idea. 4/ 5

CHEESY CHARM

Cheese & Bubbly for Valentine’s Day, £60, snowdoniacheese.co.uk

Harry says Valentine¿s Luxury Cheese & Bubbly Hamper (pictured) is of high quality suitable for cheese lovers

Harry says the high quality Valentine Luxury Cheese & Bubbly Hamper (pictured) is suitable for cheese lovers

If you are a cheese lover, this is amazing. Smaller than a shoebox, it’s crammed with lots of things: a handsome, if small, presentation board; Sea salt caramel chocolate truffle art (really good); a pack of Miller’s Damsel premium buttermilk biscuits; two of Snowdonia’s signature waxed cheeses: Black Bomber, a more mature cheese; and Red Storm, a classic Red Leicester, very attractive.

The duff’s only note is the overly sweet taste of the rhubarb & chutney. (Why do food companies insist on adding gin to everything?)

Accompanying the wine box, rather, was a bottle of Chapel Down sparkling wine, one of Britain’s finest sparkling wines.

There is a version of this barricade without incident, priced at £35. Both are good value, considering the high quality of the content. 5/5

. . . AND ROSES, TOO!

Special For Her Hammer, £69.64, cartwrightandbutler.co.uk

Harry said the Special For Her Hamper (pictured) was less of a hindrance, more of an elegant box with a bow tie

Harry said the Special For Her Hamper (pictured) was less of a hindrance, more of an elegant box with a bow tie

Less clutter, more than an elegant bow-tie box, this box contains a box of 12 heart-shaped praline chocolates, a bottle of brandy, a rather pungent vanilla scented candle and 12 packed pink roses skillfully wrapped in a slim parcel ‘mail box’ at the bottom of the main box. To my surprise, the roses emerged completely unscathed.

The value of the content is £54.50, so you’re paying a £15 premium for packing and shipping, but the clever addition of postal commission makes this a fair value. 4/5



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