GREENSBORO, NC – January 25, 2021 – Valentine’s Day is typically one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants and while it may look different this year, specialty grocer The Fresh Market is helping couples celebrate at home with a variety of restaurant quality meals and festive treats and gifts.

“We know many of our guests are going to opt to eat at home rather than dine out this Valentine’s Day, so we elevated our offerings this year to provide couples with memorable meals, fresh flowers and sweets from chocolate to baked goods to make it a little easier to still celebrate in a special way,” said Dan Portnoy, Chief Merchandising Officer at The Fresh Market.

From a complete dinner for two, heart-shaped sweets, award winning chocolates, premium flowers and more, below are a few of The Fresh Market’s favorite ways to celebrate the day, complete with wine pairings from their resident wine expert. It is love at first bite (or sip)!

1. Meat Heart for your Sweetheart The Fresh Market’s Sweetheart Ribeye is back and available for a limited time this Valentine’s Day. The premium choice steak is hand cut by the specialty grocer’s expert butchers and aged a minimum of 14 days to maximum tenderness. The Fresh Market’s executive chef also recommends searing the meat heart in a hot cast iron skillet on both sides until medium rare, and then topping it with sweet pomegranate arils, fresh rosemary, and minced shallots. Wine Pairing: Saint Supery Cabernet Sauvignon

If seafood is more your sweetheart’s style, the specialty grocer also has exclusive, heart-shaped Maryland Crab Cakes that are perfectly seasoned and ready-to-cook.

2. Memorable Meals The Valentine’s Day meal for two contains everything needed for a special meal at home – no reservations required. Guests can select two entrées from a choice of steakhouse quality filet mignon, ultimate lump crab cakes or Chilean sea bass. The meal also comes with whipped potatoes, seasoned asparagus, chocolate dipped strawberries and a dozen roses for $49.99. Wine Pairing for Dinner: J Vineyards Sparkling Brut Cuvee 20

The Fresh Market also has an elegant brunch meal that serves four for those looking to celebrate with their little valentines too. The brunch comes with a quiche Lorraine, Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon, a lox tray, plain bagels, whipped cream cheese, a mixed berries tub and The Fresh Market’s fresh squeezed orange juice for $49.99. Brunch Bubby (for mom and dad): Mumm Napa Brut Rosé

Both meals can be ordered online from January 20th to February 9th. Meals can then be picked up in-store from February 12th to 14th.

3. Award Winning Chocolates The Fresh Market’s merchandisers are always seeking out the best of the best in every department and that is no exception for candy. They have rounded up some of the top, award-winning chocolates to treat your special someone with this Valentine’s Day:

• Tony’s Chocolonely Chocolate Bars: Based in the Netherlands, Tony’s Chocolonely has been recognized as “One of the Most Sustainable Brands in the Netherlands”. Their chocolate bars come in both traditional and unique flavors such as Raspberry Popping Candy or Chocolate Pretzel Toffee.

• Kopper’s Chocolate Covered Gummy Bears: Two delicious candies wrapped into one, Kopper’s Chocolate is a 6-time “Chocolate of the Year” winner at the Fancy Food Show.

• Divine Chocolate Bars: Co-owned by the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farmers' co-operative in Ghana, Divine Chocolate earned a “Bronze” rating from the Academy of Chocolate in 2018 for their farmer-owned Fairtrade chocolates.

• Hu Vegan Chocolate Bars: Chocolate made from organic cacao with no refined sugar, dairy or gluten, Hu was named one of the “Best Vegan Chocolate Bars” in 2019.

Wines to Pair with Chocolate: Boen Tri-County Pinot Noir or Salvatore Principe Moscato

4. Heart-Shaped Sweets Satisfy your sweet tooth with an array of festive, heart-shaped sweets from The Fresh Market’s bakery including:

• Mini Cheesecakes: The heart-shaped mini cheesecakes come from Junior’s award-winning, family-owned restaurant in New York. It is their traditional cheesecake wrapped in decadent chocolate and topped with festive décor.

• Devil’s Food Cheesecake: A delicious dessert for two that features Junior’s famous cheesecake surrounded by devil’s food cake, fudge icing and chocolate chips.

• Fruit Tart: The Fresh Market’s beloved fruit tart is now available in a heart shape for a limited time. The fruit tarts are made-in-store and boast a shortbread shell coated with chocolate and house-made pastry crème. Each one is generously topped with fresh fruit from the produce department.

The Fresh Market’s bakery also has other desserts that are not heart shaped but are equally delicious including chocolate hazelnut or raspberry filled mini croissants and hand-dipped chocolate covered strawberries.

5. Premium Roses to say “I Love You Once and Flor-al” The Fresh Market has a long-standing relationship with a rose grower named PassionRoses to bring guests stunning, long-lasting roses. As the official rose of the Rose Bowl Game, Tony Awards and Miss America competition, PassionRoses is known for their commitment to quality as well as environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The blooms are grown in the mountains of South America and are kept in cool, optimal conditions during transport to preserve their freshness.

Other guest-favorite flowers for Valentine’s Day that are available in The Fresh Market’s floral department include fresh Orchids, Hydrangeas and Tulips.