Kansas City Food Blog

The stereotypical Valentine's Day gifts are flowers and chocolates. Scarily, those are also the stereotypical gifts of Mother's Day. (Try not to think about that too much.)

Chocolates, especially ones made locally like Andre's, Annedore's, Elbow Chocolates or Panache, are great and flowers are good too I guess. But if you're only buying chocolates and flowers you're missing out on the great opportunity that is champagne.

Yes, it is customary to get a glass of bubbly at dinner -- but that isn't where champagne works best on Valentine's. Champagne and chocolates work best after dinner, when you're at home. Not only does champagne taste great with chocolate but it's the ultimate aphrodisiac. It's much easier to down a bottle of champagne quickly than it is a regular bottle of wine -- and it's easy to pick a good champagne too.

At New Year's I wrote about the different types of champagne. Now it's time to remember them.
With chocolates, a dry champagne is best. That means one that says "brut" or "extra brut." Dark chocolate and extra brut make a good duo.

If you were already planning that bottle of bubbly on ice, try one of the new champagne styles that wine makers are constantly putting on the market. Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial, which combines three different grapes, is supposed to be particularly fruity without being overly sweet. At nearly $50 a bottle though, it better be unique.

For that price you could buy three bottles of Luigi Bosca La Linda Brut ($15) which is an Argentinian sparkling wine and, like most things South American and wine, is great value for the money. (It beats Korbel's ass any day of the week.)

For Valentine's Day on a real budget, get a bottle of Andre sparkling and make champagne cocktails. Put a sugar cube in the bottom of the flute, throw in a couple dashes of bitter, pour the champagne and serve with a slice of citrus. Valentine's Day with Andre and Andre's. Your loved one with thank you in all the right ways.