>> The Danucci Chocolate Company is a small family-run business which makes excellent hand-made chocolates with the most divine centres, covered in the finest couverture; many of the chocolates have a design or a speckle of gold-leaf on top. Some of my favourites are the Spiced Apple Ganache, the Jasmine Tea and the Champagne with Strawberry. Available at Morton's in Ranelagh, Butler's Pantry, Donnybrook Fair, Caviston's in Glasthule, Gibney's of Malahide, all in Dublin, and Killian's Fine Food and Wine in Trim, Co Meath.

Today, there will be a Danucci Chocolate tasting at Donnybrook Fair, from 11am-5pm.

>> Cork is so lucky to have O'Connaill's Chocolates in French Church Street (021 4373407) where they stock their huge selection of handmade chocolates and bars of all types and flavours. For Valentine's Day, they have special chocolate hearts, which can be personalised if you wish.

O'Connaill's Chocolates are also available at many other good food shops, farmers' markets and delis around the country.

>> Ruth Healy, of URRU, the amazing food store in Bandon, Co Cork (023 54731), has a big passion for, and selection of excellent Irish hand-made chocolate. She stocks O'Connaill's, Lorge Chocolates (Lorge is the ex-pastry chef from Sheen Falls Lodge) . . . who have both created gorgeous special Valentine's Day flavours . . . and Cocoa Bean Chocolate from Limerick, run by sisters Emily and Sarah, who are getting a very wellearned reputation for their excellent chocolate with very quirky flavours.

Some of their Valentine's Day aphrodisiac flavours include Red Hot Chilli, Honey Moon, White Truffle, and Fig and Star Anise.

>> Anyone near Co Tipperary should check out the fabulous food store Country Choice in Nenagh (067 32596) for their fantastic selection of our best chocolate, like Cocoa Bean, Eve's Chocolates, Helena Chocolate from Co Mayo and Gallweys of Waterford, which has been taken over by Ciara Power, who is known to make the best whiskey truffles in Ireland.