We’ll say it: Valentine’s Day might be the quintessential procrastinator’s holiday. Lines began to form early in front of the Trader Joe’s flower bins, greeting-card aisles are packed with people bobbing and weaving to find the perfect sentiment, and candy stores will do a brisk business. But it’s still not too late to commemorate the day in other ways. We found a few not-so-obvious options still available at press time:
Custom Candy: Kakao Chocolate in Maplewood has empty heart-shaped candy boxes on hand that can be custom filled with your significant other’s favorites: caramels, truffles, toffees, chocolate bark, pate de fruits… (Super procrastinators should note that Kakao is open until 6 p.m.)
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Gourmet Sweets: The pastry chefs at Nathaniel Reid Bakery loaded up the cases and bakery shelves this year. Still available at press time were heart-shaped danish, heart-shaped Enzo cakes, chocolate tablettes, strawberries covered in milk and dark grand cru Valrhona chocolate, macaroons in Valentine’s Day colors, and even chocolate fondue sets, with mini brownies, croissants, and cookies for dipping, as well as a candle to keep the Valrhona chocolate warm.
Heart-Shaped Cheesecake: Over the years, Hank’s Cheesecakes has sold thousands of heart-shaped cheesecakes for Valentine’s Day. Although supplies are dwindling, some are still available in 5-, 7-, and 9-inch sizes in several flavors. There’s nothing cuter (and tastier) than the 5-inch size—unless it’s a dozen of the bite-size minis.
Heart-Shaped Pizzas: In years past, only a handful of local pizzerias would bother to craft a heart-shaped pizza. Once word (and popularity) spread, more pizza joints have made them available. We compiled a local list.
Ice Cream: Clementine’s is offering The Love Flavors, a Valentine’s Day–themed collection that includes Peanut Butter Crunch (peanut butter ice cream ribboned with peanut butter and crispy cereal pieces), Butterscotch Toffee Malt (butterscotch ice cream with crunchy toffee pieces and the rich, velvety finish of sweet malt), Sour Cream Red Velvet Cake (tangy sweet cream cheese ice cream bursting with slices of chocolate red velvet cake), and Espresso Romano (a rich, robust ice cream with the bold essence of espresso and a creamy, complementary lemon finish). Another option is a new menu item, the pretty-in-pink Raspberry Push Pop (pictured at right), which received the most votes for Vegan Flavor of the Year.
Whimsically Named Candles: Alas, though the Valentine’s Day–themed PEZ dispensers are sold out, Ladue Pharmacy still has a section of fun and funky themed gifts, including candles from Moodcast Fragrance Co. (First Kiss, BFF, and His Pillow) and Ella B. Candles (All You Need is Love and XOXO, a lemon grass and ylang-ylang scented votive).
