The link between red roses and romantic love dates at least as far back as ancient Greece, when it was said that Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, pricked her ankle on a white rose as she rushed to Adonis, her dying lover. The white rose instantly turned red, and red roses became forevermore inextricably linked with the intensity of her love. It would, however, take until the 17th century for roses to become the Valentine’s Day gift, and while few things set a heart aflutter like a dozen long-stemmed roses, there’s no reason to stop there: It’s time to think beyond the bouquet. Below you’ll find 25 Valentine’s Day food gifts that will cast a rosy hue over the entire day.
Rose and tea have long been a happy couple. If your Valentine needs a morning jolt of caffeine, Brooklyn-based tea company Bellocq makes a fragrant Valentine blend with black tea, osmanthus, and rose.
You can’t go wrong with breakfast in bed. Gift your loved one a jar of this delicate rose petal jelly from Stone Hollow Farmstead and slather it on thick slices of brioche. Buy it solo or as part of a gift box that also includes rose petal syrup and strawberry rose drinking vinegar. Filled with Vitamin C, it’s particularly good as a spritzer, mixed with cold sparkling water and a lime twist.
To go with the toast, punch up a tahini and strawberry smoothie with a spoonful of rosewater, or stir a few drops into yogurt, lightly sweetened with a touch of honey. Culinary rosewater can also be used in cake batters and homemade jams—just don’t confuse it with cosmetic rose water. For the skincare fanatic, try this Chantecaille Eau de Rose de Mai; I keep a bottle in the fridge for a cool spritz on the face every morning.
Surprise your Valentine with a bottle of the newly launched fragrance Young Rose from Byredo. The note of Sichuan peppercorns will appeal to the lover of spice as well as florals, and the sleek bottle is perfect for the rose fan who isn’t into extra frills.
Yes, think “beyond the bouquet,” but no one turns a nose up at fresh flowers. Order in advance: Williams Sonoma offers a variety of colors and expert gift packing. For roses that won’t be fleeting, Bloomist makes a line of EcoFaux stems, with petals and leaves made from recycled plastic bottles, that have a natural, wild look.
For the modernist Valentine who loves the pared-down aesthetic of Danish design, set that bouquet in a simple, striking pitcher from Light + Ladder. For one who prefers visible signs of an artisan’s handiwork, there are few vases with a prettier natural sheen than the Tadelakt vases made in Marrakesh, Morocco.
For a truly romantic gesture, float fresh rose petals in a bath and brew a pot of floral afternoon tea. The Qi sells extraordinary whole high-altitude roses, grown 10,000 feet above sea-level outside Shangri-La in China’s Yunnan Province. Pour simmering water onto a dried rose and instantly it opens, revealing its perfume. For perfect buds and petals that can be steeped alone or added to a favorite black, white, or green tea, turn to The Tea Spot. For a faint hit of caffeine, Harney and Sons blends Mutan white tea with rose petals, goji berries, hibiscus, and strawberry in Berry Young, a tea that brews a gorgeous pinkish red.
Honey Mama’s offers a lavender rose chocolate bar made with raw organic honey, coconut oil, and cocoa that’s arguably as good-for-you as it is delicious. Buy a pack of 12, so your SO can have a pick-me-up well beyond the holiday.
Trudon, the venerable Parisian candle-maker since 1643, marries rose and verbena in an exquisite candle named La Marquise after Madame de Pompadour. Lemon and verbena add brightness to the soft notes of rose.
Wrap your Valentine in a soft, sustainably made alpaca throw from Alicia Adams Alpaca in New York’s Hudson Valley. The peach rose color is a soft, understated pastel with sophisticated depth.
Cocktail hour beckons with Ortolan Rosolio, a brilliant aperitif made in California from over 30 varieties of sustainably sourced heirloom roses. Or, for a floral take on a G&T or martini, consider the rose gin from Ireland’s Glendalough Distillery. But if you’d prefer to start the evening slowly, consider the non-alcoholic Rasāsvāda Spirit Restorative in rose bergamot, a mix of voluptuous rose and bright citrus with a nice boost of ginseng.
Set your Valentine’s Day dinner table with these drip-free taper candles—available in a range of lovely colors including a dusty pink called Petal—and coordinating linen napkins that have been washed with The Laundress’ signature detergent, scented with Le Labo Rose 31. The fragrance will linger softly long after Valentine’s Day, offering a small daily pleasure and reminder to stop and smell… the dish towels.
For dinner, perhaps a tagine (rose gold, of course). New York Shuk makes a harissa with rose petals that astonishes with its spicy heat and subtle floral undercurrent. It’s equally good sprinkled on a grain salad, a soup, or shakshuka.
For dessert, a rich, four-layer chocolate cake from Florida bakery We Take the Cake, swathed in chocolate frosting and decorated in pink vanilla buttercream roses, is irresistible. Feel like chocolate as a Valentine’s Day food gift is overplayed? Opt for this halva “cake," flavored with rose extract and topped with dried buds, from Seed + Mill, which makes one of BA’s favorite tahinis.
