Of all the gifts I’ve been given in this life, mixology is decidedly not among them. I have more love and appreciation for a well crafted, balanced cocktail than the average adult, but I am absolutely unable to recreate or riff on one at home. My cocktailing skills stop right around what it takes to create a decent old fashioned; even a Sazerac eludes me. For me, simplicity is key. I want to make things that would result with me on the floor in a puddle of tears. Three ingredients are my limit, and sometimes that even includes the garnish.

So I get invited to a ‘Gal’-entines brunch and am requested to provide the cocktail. I oblige, of course, but do so with panic in my heart and fear in my eyes. I refer to my three ingredient rule and got right to brainstorming. The three ingredients had to fun, festive, and above all, delicious. I wandered the downtown market for inspiration and found it nestled into our bitters & bar section – rose water. This is the stuff Valentine’s parties were made to have. Floral, sweet, fun, it was all I needed. Fast forward about an hour and I’m home with a small assortment of sodas, spirits, and wines. Of the five concoctions I tried, Prosecco came out on top. Funny thing is, it was the most simple creation and ended up being the best. You won’t hear any complaints from me, I can put out a dozen of these in less than five minutes. My gals will enjoy as much as I will, no tears in sight.

PS – If you’d like to make things a little more boozy, try adding an additional half ounce gin (I prefer something floral like Hendricks or The Botanist), or add a fruit liqueur like Chambord or Crème de Cassis.

Rose Fizz
Serves 6

• 750 ml Prosecco (or other sparkling wine)
• 6 ounces rose water
• 6 ounces gin or berry liqueur
• Raspberries, dried flowers, or other berries for garnish

In six coup glasses, add one tablespoon each gin and rose water to the bottom of each glass. Top with Prosecco and garnish with fruit, flowers, or plain ol’ love.

Let’s be honest. Valentine’s Day is stressful. With all the pressure to show your beloved that you love them, even more than you do any other day, it can be hard to feel like we’ve done everything just right. I’ve always worried that my gifts aren’t grand enough, my dinner plans may leave us disappointed, or that I’ll just forget entirely and rely on the nearest pharmacy to help me pull through with a stuffed animal and even more sad-worthy chocolate.

The good news is that this year’s V-day falls on Sunday. This leaves us with an entire day to fill with activities, love, spoiling, food, and more love. I have elected more often than not to cook for my Valentine rather than subject myself and said Valentine to the insanity of restaurants on this lovey dovey day.  If you haven’t made reservations yet, there’s a good chance you’d be taking your meal at McDonald’s anyway.

We’ve just received and fresh and incredibly aromatic shipment of fresh truffles from Italy, which is Valentine gift enough for me already. Take one home for brunch or dinner (or both!) and show your Valentine just how much you adore them by cooking with one of the most covetable ingredients available. Nothing says love like luxurious truffles, so take full advantage!

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Truffle
Serves 2

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 eggs
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1 medium black truffle, thinly shaved

Break eggs into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Whisk until completely combined, there should be no veins of white. Heat butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Allow butter to melt and foam. Once finished foaming, pour eggs into the pan and allow for a thin layer of cooked egg to appear at the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle half the black truffle over the eggs and use a rubber spatula to sweep and push eggs across the skillet. Once curds begin to form and the eggs appear to be just set with the top still runny, remove from heat and divide between plates. Finish with the remaining truffle and additional salt and pepper.

PAIR WITH: Blood orange mimosas, coffee, and cuddles

Fettuccine with Robiola and Black Truffle
Serves 2

• ½ stick unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
• ½ pound dried egg fettuccine
• ½ pound Robiola, cut into small cubes
• 1 medium black truffle
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Carefully continue to cook until butter solids become brown and butter has a nutty aroma. Pour into a bowl and reserve.
Cook pasta to al dente in salted water and reserve ½ cup pasta water. Drain pasta and return to the pot. Add reserved pasta water, browned butter, freshly shaved truffle, and Robiola, tossing with two forks to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowls and shave the last bits of truffle over each bowl to garnish. Serve immediately.

PAIR WITH: Prosecco

Guys, it’s coming. You now have six days to find someone to love in time for the big day. It’s cheesy, sappy, silly, and I just can’t get enough of it! I love love, I love Valentine’s Day, and I love giving (and receiving) all the lovey-dovey little gifts. Need some inspiration? I’ve got your back. Here are our top picks for your Valentine. The best part about all of these is that you’ll hopefully get to share in the joy of them. You can’t really share your Valentine’s perfume or jewelry, so these picks are just as good for you as they are for your Valentine!

Now, let’s get to those gift picks.

1. Chocolatier Blue
I’ve already said it once, but I’ll say it again… Don’t be a sad cardboard box chocolate gifter. Be the ultimate Valentine with the ultimate chocolates. The most decadent, unique, and crave-able chocolates are here at Caputo’s. Whether you’ve been here once or one hundred times, you know what I’m going to say — dearest friends, Chocolatier Blue. Pick from a variety of box sizes ranging from six pieces to 30. The six-piece boxes are perfect for friends and family, or for that date you cancelled on last week. The 30-piece is basically a declaration of your undying love and dedication.

2. Amedei Toscano Red

Amedei is top notch, but you knew that. What you may not know is the masterful and unexpected inclusion bars are nothing short of addicting. Here, deep, dark chocolate meet freeze dried raspberries, cherries, and strawberries pieces for a pleasantly tart crunch. This bar is actually perfect for this month. You get transcendent dark chocolate, which is exactly what I crave after a long, cold day or big meal, with pieces of fruit that really taste just like the middle of summer. My two favorite seasons meet in this lovely little package.

3. Francois Pralus Chocolate Pyramids

Matt Caputo is more than just my boss. He’s truly brilliant, the brains of Caputo’s market selections, and a worldwide authority on chocolate (he’s also pretty cool). Matt says it best when it comes to Pralus, “As it goes with most French chocolate makers, Francois Pralus walks the line between dark roast and burned. Imagine barbequed cacao. This season Pralus’ Djakarta, Indonesie and Madagascar are revelations. We never know which bars will shine, but each year we know that several of his bars will be among our absolute favorites. Pralus offers a huge array of 75% dark bars with rare and common origins.”

Drooling? The pyramids are your answer. Sample the decadent offerings with one of Pralus’ perfectly gift-able pyramids collections of chocolate. You will…, er, your Valentine will get to experience a large portion of these fantastic chocolates in one fell swoop. I hope you picked a generous mate, you’ll want to try these.

4. The Introduction to Fine Chocolate Class

See that guy? That’s Matt. The brilliant, chocolate geeky, totally rad person I was talking about above. His Intro to Fine Chocolate class made it onto Salt Lake Magazine’s bucket list of things to do in good ol’ Salt Lake. This is our most popular tasting class. Learn what makes one chocolate “fine” and the other just “standard.” Find out how to identify flavors, get familiarized with great chocolate makers, and learn other priceless bits of chocolate know-how.

It’s the perfect date night. You get to learn about the greatest treat to ever exist with, hopefully, your very own favorite human (a.k.a. your date). We’re teaching chocolate classes at each of our locations, so you can find the perfect time for you. Check out our full schedule here.

5. Mulate Spices Bar

We introduced you to Mulate with our January cravings, but our obsession is only becoming stronger. From the makers of Chocolate Naïve comes Mulate, the funky fresh younger brother to the sophisticated Naïve line. This bar epitomizes the classic flavors of Central America. Vibrant dark chocolate is emboldened by the warm flavors of cinnamon and vanilla with a spicy finish from ground cayenne.

Let’s put it this way: If Valentine’s Day had an exclusive flavor associated with it the same way Christmas owns those warm baking spice flavors of clove ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg — this bar is it. Warm, sexy, and spicy. Really, it’s perfect.

Happy Valentine’s Day, friends. I hope you have the most perfect, loving, and delicious day. I also hope your Valentine loves you enough to give you something like the delicious things above. If not, come visit us. You owe yourself some chocolate love any day.

Just like the title reads, I’ve learned my lesson. No more last minute gifting for me! If I have to spend one more holiday eve crammed in line with all the other procrastinators, I’ll surely perish.

I get to ease back into gifting this year with what I believe is the easiest holiday for gifts, Valentine’s Day. It sneaks up quickly and silently, like I used to sneak home after curfew. If you’re not prepared or haven’t chosen your 2015 Valentine, you’ll be in those lines with sorry cardboard boxes of awful to mediocre chocolates that often aren’t even eaten.

Don’t be a sad cardboard box chocolate gifter. Be the ultimate Valentine with the ultimate chocolates. The most decadent, unique, and crave-able chocolates are here at Caputo’s. Whether you’ve been here once or one hundred times, you know what I’m going to say — dearest friends, Caputo’s Chocolates by Chris Blue.

If you somehow haven’t heard of these — or heaven forbid, haven’t tasted them — let me tell you: this is the chocolate box to end all chocolate boxes. Each filled chocolate is made with the utmost precision and care by Chris Blue, former pastry chef at Michelin-starred Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago.

Salt Lake City’s very own Solstice Chocolate is the chocolate of choice for Chocolatier Blue’s paper-thin chocolate shells and the base for its chocolate ganache. The ingredients vary from the country’s most expensive cream to the very best handpicked fruits, nuts, and liqueurs. Each chocolate is a masterpiece. They’re beautiful, decadent, creamy, and begin with the most delicate snap from their ultra-thin shells.

Pick from a variety of box sizes ranging from five pieces to 20. The five-piece boxes are perfect for friends and family, or for that date you cancelled on last week. The 20-piece is basically a declaration of your undying love and dedication. Who needs diamonds when there are chocolates?

We just heard about the newest flavors that will be released in time for V-day. And I can’t wait. Here’s the list of flavors Chocolatier Blue has lined up for Valentine’s 2015: