With Valentine's day fast approaching, we've selected ten swoon-worthy treats. Featuring: cheese once harnessed by French maidens to lure handsome soldiers, lobster biscuits, handcrafted hearts and playful playing cards. There's something for everyone to love.
One. Win affection with Coeur-shaped cheese.
Hailing from Neufchatel in Northern Normandy, the Coeur de Neufchatel is the richer, more sentimental cousin of the humble Camenbert. According to local legend, this heart-shaped cheese was given to English conquerers by maidens residing in the town throughout the Hundred Years War. Tie a bow, pack a knife, and picnique beneath the stars.
Coeur de Neufchatel Cheese, £5.90 a piece, Clarks Speciality Foods
Two. Boil a love brew.
Whether you're crafting breakfast in bed for a long-term love or locking eyes with an office crush, few things are greater appreciated than a cup of tea brewed just how they like it. Falcon's enamel pot is the perfect sharing size, and comes in a striking Pillarbox Red. Made from porcelain fused onto heavy-gauge steel -- it might chip, but it won’t break, no matter how hard you drop it. If only relationships were that durable.
Pillarbox Red Teapot, £22, Falcon.
Three. Admit they drive you Swayze.
This card requires no explaination, but your valentine's reaction to it can act as a strong indicator of things to come. If they don't appreciate the pun, perhaps it's doomed.
Patrick Swayze Card, £3.50, Urban Outfitters
Four. Come out of your shell
Contrary to urban legend, lobsters don't mate for life.Though their monogamy lasts for mere weeks at a time, female lobsters have to shed their shell before they mate, rendering themselves somewhat vulnerable. If you've been hiding your feelings for a while, why not make like a lobster and come clean this year?
Personalised Lobster Biscuit, £22, Biscuiteers.
Five. Hang a heart around your neck.
Kate Rowland hand-draws adorable motifs before carving them into plywood. Her range features everything from feminist brooches to tiny paint palettes via space rockets and Twin Peaks tributes. Our personal favourite is this delicate pair of heartwarming hands.
Holding My Heart Necklace, £15, Kate Rowland
Six. Get love sick to your stomach.
Jessie Cave's Lovesick is the perfect anti-Valentine's Valentines gift for the maddeningly adorable cynic in your life. Each illustration in the book explores the writer's most neurotic love sick thoughts. Hilarious, and highly relatable. Especially if you're currently waiting for a text.
Love Sick by Jessie Cave, £9.99, Urban Outfitters. Read our interview with Jessie here.
Seven. Inhale possibility.
Evermore and Darley Avenue collaborate to release this hand-poured soy candle just in time for February 14th. Phthalate-free peony fragrance is delicate and romantic, whilst peppermint essential oil provides a refreshing top note to lift and energise. Guaranteed to have you swooning for Spring and all the possibility it brings.
Peony and Peppermint Candle, £24, Evermore
Eight. Time for a rub down.
A towel may not be a conventional cupid's gift, but why give chocolates when Drye's Towel in a Tin collection is so gorgeous and cosy? Few would be able to resist, and you'll score points for originality.
Run a bath, wrap up. Towel in a Tin, £28, Drye
Nine. Personalised watercolours.
If you're looking to make a bold statement of commitment this year, why not send a photo of you and your beau to Viktorija of Andsmile Studio? She'll recreate your love in gorgeous strokes of watercolour and pencil, so you can hang it on the wall forever.
Customised Couple Portrait, £70, AndSmile Studio
Ten. Share a deck of cards
An old-fashioned card game is a great ice breaker, and Oh Comely's exclusive pack designed by Brooklyn maker Kaye Blegvad are gorgeously playful. Challenge your crush to a game of poker, and let fireworks fly.
Playful Playing Cards, £8, The Oh Comely Shop