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Loving Baskets

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Maybe it was those years working as a florist, but I used to truly despise Valentines' Day. Red roses made me cringe. And before I was pregnant with Riley, I never ate chocolate. So, a holiday whose trademarks were things I deplored wasn't big in my books.

I still maintain that people need to tell each other how much they love one another EVERY day, not just on the 14th of February, but I have forged some fun traditions for my three favorite Valentines. And, naturally, it's centered around food. I still don't like red roses.

Each year, I create a food-themed basket for each of my boys. Last year I made a "Bananas 'Bout You" basket for my littlest monkey, that included plantain chips, dried bananas, banana bread, and more; for Riley, it was a "You're the Apple of My Eye" basket full of fresh apples, apple rings, and apple cider. Jacob received a "We're quite a Pear!" with chocolate-pear-infused truffles, dried pears, and a hard pear cider.

I haven't quite decided on the boys' baskets for this year, but Jacob is getting an "I'm NUTS About You" basket. I'm thinking a bottle of Frangelico, hazelnut coffee, homemade biscotti laden with nuts, Moroccan-spiced nuts, and more...

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  1. Camilla M. MannFebruary 2, 2010 at 9:16 AM

    I finally decided. Dylan's getting an "I'm NUTS About You" basket - minus the coffee and Frangelico, of course! Riley's basket will be "You're TEA-rrific!" (he loves an Earl Grey shortbread that I make). And for Jacob, I'll be "Keepin' It SPICY!" with some Moroccan-spiced nuts and some other steamy goodies.

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