Local treats for your love

Valentine's Day procrastinators, we are in luck! There are locally-produced treats for anyone expecting something from you, or whom you'd like to surprise. Here's what I've dug up.

Slather it on: Treat your sweetie with Bonne Sante's healthy organic skin care products. Old Lyme resident Rosemary Barclay, a PhD biochemist who discovered her own skin responded better to simple, natural treatments she made from organic food grade ingredients, has launched a complete line of cleansers, toners, soaps and lotions. Order online at www.bonnesantellc.com, or call 860-434-7429. Upgrade your gift by scheduling a massage or facial at Bonne Sante.

In a pinch for roses? Connecticut's treasure, the fragrant, full-blossomed Pinchbeck roses, grown in Guilford since 1929, are back, being grown, cut, packed and shipped across the country by Roses For Autism (RFA), a non-profit organization that provides vocational training and employment for teens and adults on the autism spectrum. The flowers are cut daily and shipped within days, and there's a full range of colors. Or maybe you'd prefer to make a statement with fresh-cut lilies, also grown in the greenhouses.

You can run by the Pinchbeck Roses farm, at 929 Boston Post Road in Guilford, Monday through Saturday, 8:30 am to 4 pm, and special hours on Sunday, Feb. 13, noon to 5 pm, but call early to place your order at (203) 453-2186. Order online at www.rosesforautism.com to ship anywhere in the country. RFA expects to cut and ship 2,200 to 2,500 dozen flowers by Valentine's Day, and they do expect to sell out.

Give a chocolate fix: Admittedly, Cow Barn Chocolate isn't exactly romantic, but that's what fans of The Farmer's Cow ice creams named it, and it sure tastes good. There's also Fields of Mint Chocolate Chip or Black Raspberry Moo Chocolate Chip. Available in pints at all Stop & Shops across the state, plus some Tri-Town grocery stores. If they don't carry The Farmer's Cow super-fresh heavy cream, ask for it. Go to www.thefarmerscow.com to see all the flavors and who named them.

Make reservations: When in doubt, eat out. La Belle Aurore, Niantic Village, known for its American bistro cuisine using locally grown, organic ingredients, is opening its doors on Monday, Feb. 14, for a special Valentine's dinner, as well as its normal winter hours of Wednesday through Saturday night and weekend brunches. Read their February menu online at www.labelleaurorebistro.com. Winter vegetables never sounded so delicious. Call (860) 739-6767.

Suzanne Thompson is looking for a locally-made chocolate sauce to go on her Up Early Coffee ice cream from the Farmer's Cow. E-mail her with your recommendations at suzanne.s.thompson@sbcglobal.net.

Got some Local Dirt? Send your green-living feature story ideas and news to Daybreak editor Marisa Nadolny at m.nadolny@theday.com.