Chicago French Market Gift Ideas For A Romantic Valentine's Day 2013

Chicago French Market- Bello Tea
Spending Valentine's Day at home or going to a potluck party? Bello Tea at the Chicago French Market (131 N. Clinton St., Chicago; 312-380-0707), has offered up delicious recipes for two tasty Valentine's Day drinks. The Bello Mojito is made with delicious hibiscus spearmint tea, freshly squeezed lime juice, sparkling water and finished with a touch of sweetness. Try your hand at making Lara's Caipirinha Bubbly ''Champagne.'' This easily prepared drink combines Bello Organic Lara's Caipirinha Herbal Tea with sparkling juice or champa gne with a fresh strawberry. Look below for step by step instructions on how to prepare both of these drinks.


Bello Mojito
Serves 2

Ingredients:

8 oz. of Bello Hibiscus Spearmint Tea
1 oz. of Fresh squeezed lime juice
2 oz. of Simple Syrup (1oz water, 1oz sugar)
1 oz. of Sparkling Water
Fresh mint
Slices of lime

Preparation:
Brew Hibiscus Spearmint Tea and chill it until ready to prepare. In a martini shaker, muddle mint and lime slices together. Add simple syrup, lime juice and tea. To that add ice and shake well. Strain it into a martini glass and add sparkling water. Garnish with a mint sprig and a slice of lime. For a fun twist add your favorite rum. Substitute sugar with agave, if preferred.

Brewing Hibiscus Spearmint Tea
Add 2 tsp. of Hibiscus Spearmint tea to a tea pot then add 8 oz. of boiling water. Let it brew for 5 minutes. Strain and chill.

Lara's Caipirinha Bubbly 'Champagne'

Ingredients:
1-2 oz. of Bello Organic Lara's Caipirinha Herbal Tea
6 oz. of Sparkling Juice or Champagne
Fresh raspberry or strawberry

Preparation:
Pour Sparkling Juice or Champagne into a glass. Add Lara's Caipirinha tea and garnish with fresh raspberry or strawberry.

Brewing Organic Lara's Caipirinha
Add 3 tsp. of Lara's Caipirinha to a tea pot, and then add 8 oz. of boiling water. Let it brew for 5 minutes. Strain and chill. It yields 4-8 servings.

Chicago French Market - Delightful Pastries
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
? lb. handmade chocolate bark or ? 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

Chicago French Market- Lavazza Espression
Lavazza Espression at the Chicago French Market (131 N. Clinton St., Chicago;