Valentines Day = Chocolate

Chocolate and Valentine's Day are a perfect pairing. Treat your sweetheart at a couple of local events this weekend!

River Valley Trading Company in Blanchardville is having their 2nd annual Chocolate Tasting and Auction on Saturday afternoon. From 2 until 4, sample delicious and unusual chocolates from TerraSource Gourmet Chocolates along with various wines. For only $2, you can sample all of the chocolates. Then, bid for your favorites in the silent auction. Stick around to show the selection of interesting and varied local gifts available at River Valley Trading Company, and save 10% on any of them.

After chocolate appetizers, head across the street to the new Pecatonica Grapevine. There, owner Christine Pieper will have another tasting, this time pairing wines with delectable morsels from one of our favorites, Stef over at Goosechaser Farm. Chef Stef will be bringing quiche with roasted duck on apple and fennel slaw with raspberry walnut vinaigrette; pumpkin gnocchi with sesame walnut butter; and red wine braised pastured pork with spaetzle and winter vegetables. If the samples are too enticing, pick up a full size dinner to take home. There will be more TerraSource chocolates here too! The event goes from 4 until 6, $7 per person.

Chocolate Temptation had a very popular chocolate fondue event last year, and they are repeating it this year. Now, both Saturday and Sunday are currently full, but I just spoke with Scott, and they are taking names to see if they have enough people to add another seating. I highly recommend it, so call them at 328-2462. If fondue isn't your thing, they will also be open for a while on the afternoon of Valentine's Day too, so take your sweetheart in to share a dessert and coffee drink.

Finally, take your little sweetheart to the Candyland Ball at the Masonic Temple in Freeport. From 6:30 until 8, little girls ages 10 and under can come with an adult in their lives (dad, mom, or whomever is special) to dance and enjoy the evening. $25 per couple, $28 for non-residents, each additional child is $7.

Most of the local restaurants will be doing reservations or special menus for this coming weekend, so treat your sweetheart. If you prefer to do the cooking yourself, consider a local foods menu! There are many places available to get local meat, including the previously mentioned Goosechaser Farm, and if you need some winter veggies, call Barb at Mainstreet to connect with the farmer's market coordinator. Many vendors do still have root crops like onions, potatoes and carrot available. Round out your table with wines from Famous Fossil or Primrose, or beer from New Glarus Brewing Company or Minhas.