French food and wine for Valentine’s Day at home

Celebrating at home doesn’t mean missing out – make Valentine’s Day extra special this year with these French meals, wines, desserts and pâtisseries

The Connaught

The Connaught Pâtisserie team has created a special sweet treat for Valentine’s week. Featuring a dark chocolate mousse and a raspberry and chocolate sponge, the Valentine’s cake (£24) is topped with raspberries, flecks of gold and chocolate hearts, which can be personalised with a loved one’s initials. The Pâtisserie’s signature Connaughty hound (£12) has also been given a makeover for the occasion – dressed in red and wearing a collar with a heart-shaped tag, it combines the flavours of vanilla mousse, raspberry and lychee, and sits on a white chocolate and almond base.

Meanwhile, the hotel’s restaurant, Jean-Georges at The Connaught, will be offering both a casual and more formal at-home dining experience, with heart-shaped pizzas available for delivery and collection during Valentine’s week, and a three-course Valentine’s Menu at Home (from £90 per person) for Valentine’s weekend.

Le Deli Robuchon

Enjoy breakfast in bed with Le Deli Robuchon’s decadent selection of viennoiseries, baguettes, jam, honey, orange juice and coffee, priced from £60 for two and available on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th February. You can also order a four-course menu for lunch or dinner featuring hand-picked crab and wild seabass (from £150 for two), with a vegetarian version also available and the option to add a bottle of champagne. And if you’re missing seeing family and friends and are keen to spread the Valentine’s love, why not send them a Valentine’s gift box (from £60) or hamper (from £135)?

La Poule au Pot

French restaurant La Poule au Pot in London has created a special Saint Valentin menu available for takeaway or delivery within a 2.5-mile radius of its Belgravia location. Available from Friday to Sunday, the £90 couple’s menu includes two starters, two mains with sides and two desserts, with options to choose from including the restaurant’s signature ‘chicken in a pot’ and duck breast. If you fancy pushing the boat out even more, there’s also the option to add a bottle of Crémant de Bourgogne (£40) or Lenoble Champagne (£65).

Domaine du Météore

Why not raise a toast to your at-home Valentine’s celebration with a glass or two of French rosé? Made from a blend of cinsault, grenache noir and mourvèdre grapes, the pale pink Le Météore rosé is produced at the Domaine du Météore vineyard in the Languedoc village of Cabrerolles. Order a case of six 75cl bottles (RRP £93) using the code CUPID and you’ll only pay for four. Santé!

Galvin La Chapelle

For Michelin-star dining in your own dining room or kitchen, Galvin La Chapelle’s At Home Valentine’s Celebration menu (£150) has six courses with irresistible starters including ham hock, chicken and foie gras terrine, and magret of duck as a main, while vegetarians can look forward to potimarron velouté followed by black truffle and artichoke risotto. Both menus finish with an indulgent Valrhona chocolate fondant. Wine pairing is also available (£75 extra).

Ladurée

We don’t need an occasion to be tempted by a macaron but if we did, Ladurée’s Valentine’s collection would certainly convince us. The beautifully designed boxes are as pretty as the pastel-coloured treats nestled inside, which come in a range of classic flavours from pistachio and lemon to chocolate and vanilla. Meanwhile the iconic passion fruit macaron recipe has been given a romantic makeover for the occasion, reimagined in shimmering bronze and shaped as a heart. Vegans are catered for too with the choice of caramel coconut and chocolate.

PAUL

On a mission to share the love through lockdown this Valentine’s Day, romantic additions to the menu at bakery chain PAUL include a heart-shaped fraisier and personalised cakes. Surprise a loved one with the ‘Sent with Love box’ (£27.95) – a bite-size mix of macarons, heart-shaped shortbread and mini beignets – or say je t’aime with the ‘You and Me Bundle’ (£19.95). Pre-order online, available for delivery or Click and Collect.

Marks and Spencer

The high street retailer now stocks a range of 25 products from Picard, France’s famous gourmet frozen food brand, in 160 M&S Food stores across the UK. The M&S collection includes pastries, canapés, meals, sides and desserts, which means you could spend Valentine’s Day pretending you’re dining in France from breakfast through to dinner. So, if you are still venturing out to do a food shop why not add a few French treats to your trolley?

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