Savory Style: Cliche Free Valentine's Gifts

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Chocolates, roses, jewelry. Yawn. Ditch the tired and predictable and opt for more distinctive gifts for your loved ones this Valentine's Day.

1. A little luxury for your favorite cook's kitchen, this soy candle smells amazingly like cilantro and orange, and it's not too perfumey. Lafco Cilantro Orange Kitchen candle, Timothy Paul Home (1529 14th St. NW), $58

2. Cupid has landed. With your morning coffee. Angel wings mug, Pylones, $25 (send an IOU — it's available in March)

3. For a sweet gift, pair this cheerful dipper with a jar of local honey from the Dupont FreshFarm Market). "Make my day" honey dipper, Pylones, $14

4. A serious splurge, this maté drinking gourd, made of engraved sterling silver and red leather in Argentina, has an exotic sex appeal. Motorcycle Diaries, anyone? Red maté gourd, Vivre, $695

5. For the beer lover in your life, a grinning Kabuki mask helps crack open a cold one. Kabuki bottle opener, Pulp (1803 14th St. NW) or CB2, $4.95

6. The latest offering from Fee Brothers, Aztec Chocolate Bitters blends cocoa flavors with heat and spice. Snag a bottle for a tongue-in-cheek gift for your favorite aspiring mixologist. Also spotted in cocktails at Bourbon Steak, Proof and Tryst. Aztec Chocolate Bitters, Ace Beverage (3301 New Mexico Ave. NW), about $7

Savory Style is an occasional weekend feature highlighting great style and cool products for your kitchen, tabletop and home.