French Conversation Cookies, Mascarpone Heart Cheesecake and more at Vanille Patisserie

Vanille Patisserie, the French bakery at Chicago French Market (131 N. Clinton St., Chicago), is offering a variety of Valentine’s Day treats for the big day. In lovely heart shaped pre-packaged Chocolate, Vanilla and Raspberry Macarons are available in sizes of 8 ($15) and 18 ($32) pieces. Vanille’s French Conversation Sugar Cookies ($3 each), Mascarpone Heart Cheesecake ($5.75 serves 1) and heart boxes of handmade chocolates also are available (3 piece $5.95, ½ lb. box $25, 1 lb. box $47). Place your orders at (312) 575-9963.

Chicago French Market's Delightful Pastries Offers Chocolate Dipped Strawberries and other Valentine’s Day Gifts

Delightful Pastries at the Chicago French Market (131 N. Clinton St., Chicago) has arranged an assortment of gift packages filled with delicious pastries and sweets for Valentine’s Day. Treat your sweetie to a dozen fresh strawberries dipped in bittersweet dark chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate ($25). Delightful Pastries also has a Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Tart ($30), this luscious treat is a sweet buttery tart layered with chocolate ganache and covered in fresh raspberries.

The Heart Shaped Chocolate Mousse Torte ($6.75) is perfect for two to share. This moist chocolate sponge cake is layered with chocolate mousse and decorated with rosettes of whipped cream. Also Delightful Pastries has a number of Valentine’s Day gifts under $20. These mini bundles include an assortment of raspberry and chocolate Parisian macarons, beautifully decorated gingerbread and sugar cookies, sweet gift boxes of handmade truffles and other chocolates. Place your orders at (312) 234-9644.

Delightful Pastries gift options don’t end there. Here are two gift box packages with loads of Valentine’s Day goodies.

  

Sweetheart Gift Box- $30

• Ginger bread and sugar cookie hearts
• Small box of raspberry and chocolate Parisian macarons
• Cookie bag of your choice
•   ¼  lb. handmade chocolate bark or ¼  lb. handmade truffles

You're Amazing Gift Box- $50

• Heart cookie sandwich with chocolate butter cream
•  Black and white cookie and cupcake
• Large box of raspberry, passion fruit and chocolate Parisian macarons
• Box of rum balls and chocolate pecan turtles
• Maple cranberry almond granola
• Two chocolate dipped strawberries

One-stop Valentine's Day shopping at Chicago French Market

Valentine’s Day is always special and Chicago French Market makes it easy to celebrate with your loved ones. All under one roof, Chicago French Market has everything you need to say, “I Love You.”

Provo’s Village Bake Shoppe, known for its European baked goods, is offering a number of heart-shaped treats for your sweetie, including individual sized Heart-Shaped Vanilla and Chocolate Cakes, both topped with chocolate frosting ($4 each); Red and Pink Heart-shaped Sugar Cookies ($1 for small, $2 for large); Assorted Red, Pink and White Butter Cookies in heart shaped containers ($4 per box); and a set of Six Heart-shaped Kolachkis with strawberry, raspberry and cherry fillings ($6). Contact Provo’s at (312) 207-1261.

Award-winning Vanille Patisserie features a Heart-Shaped Valentine’s Box filled with assorted chocolates. A small half-pound box is $27, and the large one-pound heart box is $45. Vanille also offers Pink Raspberry Eclairs for $3.50 each. Vanille’s Valentine’s Day treats are available beginning Feb. 7. Contact Vanille Patisserie at (312) 575-9963.

Pick up fresh 8 ounce Lobster Tails ($12.49 each) or King Crab Legs ($29.49 per lb.) from City Fresh Market and surprise your honey with a romantic stay-at-home dinner. Other Valentine’s specials include 1.5 lb. Live Lobster, $10.99 each; Sea Wet Scallops, $13.49 per lb.; and Blue Diamond Shrimp, $20.99 per lb. City Fresh Market is a European market with a focus on fresh poultry, fish and grass-fed beef raised without antibiotics or hormones. City Fresh also offers a variety of other meats, fruits, vegetables, cheese and meat pies, fresh-squeezed orange juice and a selection of grocery items including olive oils, vinegars, salad dressings and more. Contact City Fresh Market at (312) 575-0230 for more specials.

Stop by Lavazza Espression for a Limited Edition Cup set based and an exclusive 2011 Lavazza calendar, centered around the Valentine-appropriate theme of “Falling in Love in Italy.” Only 200 of the Limited Edition Cup sets exist in the U.S., which includes two espresso cups and saucers, two cappuccino cups and saucers, as well as four stainless steel heart-shaped spoons. The exclusive 2011 desk calendar, shot by one of the most lauded celebrity photographers, Mark Seliger, is also included in this special gift set. Celebrities featured in the 2011 Lavazza calendar include Olivia Wilde and her husband Tao Ruspoli. This limited edition gift ($39.95) is a unique surprise for your espresso loving Valentine.

Chicago Organics is selling specialized gift baskets from NOR, a Chicago-based business that sells natural and organic gifts and everyday essentials for eco-conscious lifestyles. The gift baskets range from $28 to $116 and are filled exclusively with organic and natural specialty food, gifts and travel sets with chemical-free skincare and beauty products, plus accessory items for the home.

Les Fleurs makes it easy to catch the train and surprise your sweetheart with a special floral bouquet. Customers can purchase their flowers in the morning on Valentine’s Day and Les Fleurs can prepare them for an evening pick up. Pre-made bouquets and gifts are also ready to go. No fuss, just love on the run! Les Fleurs welcomes pre-orders and delivery. Contact Les Fleurs at (312) 463-1111.

There is nothing sweeter than saying “love” with a box of chocolate. Canady le Chocolatier features luscious chocolates packaged in one pound, half pound and petite gift boxes, constructed with hand-made Thai parchment paper imprinted with an orchid and soft green leaf design. These stunning gift boxes are made exclusively for Canady le Chocolatier’s fine line of chocolates, which includes a choice of rich dark, milk or white chocolate coating with a variety of fillings, including ganache, soft caramel and sugar cream. Contact Canady le Chocolatier at (312) 454-8700.

Delightful Pastries creates authentic European pastries made with local ingredients. Choose from specially decorated vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, three types of cakes decorated to say “I Love You” and decorated butter cookies. Pastries will be boxed and ready to go. Contact Delightful Pastries at (312) 234-9644.

About Chicago French Market
Chicago French Market is a European-inspired market offering an array of local produce, meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheese, wine, chocolates, pastas, artisan-made goods, specialty drinks, flowers, prepared meals and a seating area for customers. Chicago French Market’s diverse group of local vendors stay open year-round, six days per week, and is located within the new MetraMarket development at 131 N. Clinton St. (between Washington and Randolph Streets). Chicago French Market offers complimentary garage parking with entrances at 164 N. Canal St. and 165 N. Clinton St. for one hour or less with a minimum purchase of $20 or more (receipt required).

Please note that from January 2011 through May 2011, if traveling westbound on Randolph Street, the Randolph Street bridge is closed due to the Wacker Drive Reconstruction Project. The minor detour will reroute drivers to head north on Franklin Avenue, then west on Lake Street, to turn south on Clinton Street to access the garage. For more information, visit http://www.chicagofrenchmarket.com/. Follow Chicago French Market on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChicagoFrenchMarket and on Twitter at @ChiFrenchMarket.

Holiday Gift Giving From Bella Bacinos

America’s first heart healthy pizza made with 100% real cheese and a celebrity favorite

Making the perfect holiday and Valentine’s Day gift for someone special, Bella Bacinos (75 E. Wacker Dr., Chicago; 312-263-2350) accepts mail-orders for made-to-order stuffed half-baked pizzas, available for overnight shipping.

Bella Bacinos mail-orders include an array of options. Order a small (10” serving two to three) stuffed half-baked pizza for $45.99 or medium (12” serving three to four) for $55.99. Pizzas can also be made heart-shaped for a popular Valentine’s Day gift. Add a bottle of red or white, pizza-friendly wine with a pizza order as a special package for a grand total of $85. All prices include overnight shipping via Periship, a new division of FedEx that offers express shipping for the perishipable foods industry, and arrive between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. the next day. Not only has Bella Bacinos partnered up with Periship to deliver stuffed pizza to its destination fresh and fast, it is also the only operation in Chicago to ship pizza via Periship.

Unlike other local competitors, Bella Bacinos prepares their one-of-a-kind pizzas with 100% real Wisconsin cheese, making them America’s first heart healthy pizza. The American Heart Association took note by placing Bella Bacinos’ spinach pizza, a 30 year favorite, in the Eat Well Guide. Preservatives and MSG will never be found in Bella Bacinos’ pizza. Celebrities such as Josh Duhamel, Jaclyn Smith and Chicago Bears punter Brad Maynard can attest to Bella Bacinos’ exceptional fare as they are frequent dine-in and mail-order customers.

All orders are shipped from the Bella Bacinos Chicago location (75 E. Wacker Dr., Chicago; 312-263-2350), but may be picked up at any Bacino’s location. For more information or to view a menu, visit www.bacinos.com.