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According to the survey, chocolate remains the preferred Valentine's gift for 20% of those who celebrate Valentine's Day, compared to 14% who prefer flowers.
The adage, 'Food is the way to the heart,' rings especially true for men, with nearly half (47%) desiring a gift of food or wine for Valentine's Day, compared to 28% of women.
When it comes to the perfect Valentine's date, 56% of those who celebrate would choose a meal in a good restaurant. Watching a film with a box of chocolates or taking a picturesque walk are joint second choices, each appealing to 35% of respondents. Meanwhile, 20% of Valentine's Day fans would enjoy going to a show or comedy.
The survey also revealed that over a third of the UK population shares a passion for cheese. It certainly has a place in our hearts and fridges: more than three-quarters (78%) of respondents stated they have at least one cheese in the fridge, with 59% enjoying a wide variety of cheeses - such as Brie, Camembert and Morbier.
Passion for cheese is particularly strong among younger people, with 44% of those aged 18-34 expressingtheir love for it, compared to 30% of those aged 55 and over. Regional differences also emerge, with 48% of Londoners and 44% of respondents in Yorkshire and Humberside passionate about cheese, compared to just 22% in Southampton.
Beyond Valentine's Day, in excess of half (52%) of respondents agree that sharing a cheeseboard with loved ones is a fantastic way to enjoy an evening.
This Valentine's Day, let cheese be the way to your loved one's heart! A wide variety of European cheeses will seduce even the most delicate palates and allow you to innovate and surprise. If you are planning to share a cheeseboard for Valentine's Day or for date nights throughout the year, here are some top tips.
1/ Before serving the cheeses, let them stand for at least an hour and a half at room temperature so that they develop their full aromas fully.
2/ Offer a diverse choice of cheeses that complement each other in terms of taste and texture. At a minimum, make sure you have at least one soft, hard and blue cheese but to really impress five is the magic number.
3/ Provide a knife for each cheese to avoid cross contamination of flavours and leave enough space between the cheeses to allow for guests to cut and remove their cheese easily.
4/ Place the cheeses from the mildest to the strongest in a clockwise direction; this helps people to taste in the best sensory order.
5/ Dried fruit, fresh fruit, fruit jellies, seeds, aromatic herbs and edible flowers all add interesting colour, flavours and textures to your cheeseboard - let your creativity flow.
For a mild cheese that brings something decadent to the board, try a Brillat-Savarin, a triple cream cheese that melts in the mouth and leaves a rich buttery and sweet flavour. Another delicious mild cheese that you can find in a wide variety of shops is Doux de Montagne - a light, cheese dotted with small holes with mild, fruity, buttery and herbal flavours. Both cheeses pair well with a glass of Champagne.
If you are more traditional, why not go for Neufchâtel, a pretty heart-shaped cheese is a perfect option. Its white, slightly fluffy rind and lightly salted, creamy pastry with a milky taste will melt your partner's heart.
Whilst cheddar remains the UK's favourite cheese, Comté PDO is France's most popular hard cheese. It is sweet, slightly nutty and becomes harder with deeper flavours as it matures.
With their blue green mould and strong, salty flavours, even some cheese lovers can be hesitant when it comes to blue cheeses. For a gentler introduction, Fourme d'Ambert is mild with a velvety texture and subtle flavours. Food really is the way to anyone's heart.
For more information, visit: www.dairy-products-from-france.com/cheese
That's Food and Drink would like to thank ther CNIEL, (Centre National Interprofessionnel de l'Economie Laitière) for their help in preparing this blogpost.
Will my wife and I be sharing sharing a Valentine's Day cheeseboard? Bien sûr!
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