Valentine's Day is upon us, and if you need inspiration for foodie-approved gifts, recipes to whip up on the big day, or ingredients that will give your V-Day dinner extra pizzazz, we've consulted the best culinary braintrust we know: Our staff.
We've thought long and hard about food that makes us feel warm and fuzzy inside — from cookbooks that have gradually turned into family heirlooms to a secret ingredient discovered mid-honeymoon. These picks are inspired by our partners, parents, heritages, and friends — and we're certain that you'll also fall hard for these sweet (and savory) favorites.
So, whether you’re cooking for a crowd, planning a cozy night for two, or flying solo with a really good bottle of wine, you're bound to bond with at least one item on this list. We wouldn't be surprised if you're reminded of a deliciously deep connection of your own (let this be your sign to grab the tissues now). If the way to someone's heart really is through their stomach, this cheat sheet for thoughtful gifts, memorable meals, and delectable details will redefine how you celebrate love.
Katie's Mom's Lemon Bar Recipe
Katie once shared the recipe for her mother's own tried-and-true lemon bars in a TODAY Show cookbook, and the recipe also appeared in a 2012 edition of PEOPLE. This mom-approved recipe celebrates accessible, simple pantry ingredients: You'll need confectioners' sugar, flour, butter, punchy lemon juice, and eggs. The result is a tray of gooey, sweet-and-sour confections that will instantly fill you with warmth.
Caroline's Cakes Seven-Layer Caramel Cake
Katie has a soft spot for Caroline’s — after all, this tender confection was one of her father's favorite desserts (she wrote lovingly about the cake in her memoir, Going There). If you don't have the time or skill to create many-layered gateaux, placing an order lets you step out of the kitchen and relax with your loved ones.
Mexican Today, Pati Jinich
“I grew up eating fresh, flavorful Mexican food prepared by the best cook I've ever met — my mother, a first-generation Oakland native whose parents immigrated from Mexico City. A few years ago, my mom gifted me this cookbook written by James Beard Award-winning TV host and cookbook author Pati Jinich. Jinich hails from Mexico City, so she crafts recipes from a CDMX perspective. My mom told me, 'Pati makes food that only my mother made. I haven't eaten this food since my mother died.' When I cook Jinich's recipes, I feel such a profound connection to my family and heritage, and a deep appreciation for recipes lost and found.” — Diana Valenzuela, Assistant Editor
Eat Me: The Food and Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin, Kenny Shopsin
"When I first moved to NYC back in 2000, I lived around the corner from an odd and intimidating restaurant. When I finally worked up the courage to go inside, I walked into what felt like a retro movie set: wooden cabinets climbed up the walls — full of vintage toys and candy jars — while 1930s-era jazz played on a tinny speaker. This was Shopsin's, a restaurant with stern rules and an unbelievably delicious, deeply bizarre menu (the original 11-page text included dishes like "burrito bags" and seven kinds of peanut butter sandwiches). I first became a regular for the food, but the restaurant's crown jewels were the owners, Kenny and Eve, who either coddled or openly mocked you, depending on the day. Both have since passed away, but when I want to immerse myself in nostalgia, I pick up Kenny's cookbook Eat Me, which is filled with his mad-scientist creations (banana bread topped with shredded chicken, apple-pecan stuffing, and Thai peanut sauce, anyone?) and his ruminations on family, love, and social responsibility. It's my own version of time travel, but it also would be an absolute treat for any foodie iconoclast in your life." — Molly Simms, Editorial Director
Fly by Jing Chili Crisp
"Growing up in southeastern Ohio, Asian cuisine wasn’t exactly widely available, but a few Chinese restaurants in my hometown served both traditional Cantonese and Americanized dishes. I worked at one my entire high school career and for my first year of college (shout out to Dynasty, I will love you forever), and that’s where I was first introduced to chili crisp. Nothing will ever top the house-made version the owners spooned out for staff meals, but Fly by Jing comes impressively close. It’s spicy without being punishing, more slow-building warmth than five-alarm fire. Even now, one bite pulls me right back to late-night staff dinners and poorly sung karaoke in the restaurant’s private rooms. I put it on everything from stir fry to ramen, and it adds a smoky flavor that just can’t be beat." — Katie Pittman, commerce editor
Talk About Good, Louisiana Junior League of Lafayette
"A few weeks ago, I lost my beloved grandmother, who spent 91 incredible years building a family whom she always kept fed. Her amazing Cajun cooking was the star of every gathering, from the pot roast with rice and gravy she made on Sundays to the incomparable gumbo she'd whip up for Christmas and family reunions. Lucky for us, she left behind a binder filled with her handwritten recipes — but for everyone else, the cookbook Talk About Good is the next best thing. First published in 1969 (and reprinted 23 times since then), this holy text of Cajun food offers more than 1,000 recipes. Sitting proudly in my kitchen is a well-worn copy that dates back to 1980-something. Cajun flavors are all about boldness, richness, and spice, but to me, the dishes in this book taste like a big hug from one of the people I've loved most in the world." — Ryan Buxton, Features Director
Teays Valley Biscuit Mix
"When my mom doesn’t have time to make biscuits from scratch, there’s only one mix she’ll use: Teays Valley. She still drives more than 45 minutes — and across state lines — to the one grocery store she knows carries it, just to keep some on hand. She even ships boxes to me in Brooklyn, and every time I make a batch, it feels like stepping back into her kitchen. The dough bakes up fluffy without drying out, with tops and bottoms that turn a soft, golden brown. It’s the perfect palette for jams, butter, or my favorite: a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar (preferably from a reused spice container of unknown origin — or at least that’s how we store our homemade mixture)." — Katie Pittman, Commerce Editor
The Lost Kitchen, Erin French
"There’s something really special about cooking an entire meal from scratch for friends. Inspired by Erin French and her show and cookbook The Lost Kitchen, my partner and I recently hosted a dinner party where we cooked exclusively from those recipes. We made nearly everything from scratch — homemade crackers, soup with stock we prepared ourselves, all of it. It took a full week of preparation (honestly, longer than I’ve ever spent getting a Thanksgiving dinner ready), but every bite was worth it. Our friends were incredibly impressed and grateful for the effort, and the evening ultimately felt far more meaningful than any night out at a fancy restaurant." — Danny Feekes, VP Affiliate Commerce
Datu Puti
"Filipino food doesn’t have 'spicy’ in the traditional, burn-your-mouth sense, but its punch comes from sourness — maasim in Tagalog. Vinegar is foundational to the cuisine, and I’m pretty sure my taste buds were forever altered by literally sipping spoonfuls of it growing up. Datu Puti is a household staple, made from fermented sugarcane vinegar with a mild, subtly sweet profile compared to white or apple cider vinegar. We cook adobo with it or use it as a dipping sauce for pork chops to cut through any oily, rich meals. Outside of traditional dishes, I also whisk it into salad dressings or splash it into anything that needs a touch of acid to bring it into balance." — Justine Carreon, Affiliate Content Manager
Maldon Salt
"Katie turned me on to Maldon Sea Salt, and now I'm a salt snob. But the transformation actually began long before I'd ever heard of the fancy, flaky stuff. On my Amalfi Coast honeymoon eight years ago, one of our hotels housed a Michelin-star restaurant. I remember the breathtaking seaviews over Positano, the company (my newly minted hubby), and the bread. Sorry to the main dish, but what I recall most vividly from that meal is the tray of various salts they presented us with while we nibbled on rolls. I'd never considered that salt could come in different flavors or levels of salinity. I was so charmed and have looked for salt tastings at restaurants ever since. I haven't found one, but I have found Maldon Sea Salt, which just a dash of enhances any flavor — from sweet to savory. One box will last me months, but that's in part because I don't cook with it. I save it for sprinkling because I love the texture and bluntness of it upon digging into a dish. I even painted an Italian-inspired motif on a little bowl to store it in. The whole experience is way more glamorous (and flavorful) than the salt grinder I got at the grocery store." — Maggie Parker, Site Director
