February is a great month to celebrate love, but if you can’t whisk your beloved off to Paris for a Valentine’s Day celebration, why not transform your own dining room into a French café for the evening.

The Kitchens of Red Bicyclette (www.redbicyclette.com), a French table cafe whose Pinot Noir and French Rose are Valentine best-sellers, offer some culinary inspiration with Country French recipes developed by Chef Bruce Riezenman.

French ONION Soup is a classic. Be sure your YELLOW ONIONS are very thinly sliced before cooking with butter, sherry, beef stock and fresh THYME, prior to topping with shredded gruyere cheese and toasted baguette slices.

Another appealing starter for your French Country dinner d’amour is a salad featuring BUTTER LETTUCE and quartered fresh FIGS with crumbled Roquefort or Blue Cheese in a Balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Ripe TOMATOES peeled and seeded form the basis for a cold TOMATO soup with HERBS de Provence, a combination of finely chopped fresh BASIL, THYME, PARSLEY and ROSEMARY. Add sautéed ONIONS, a pinch of sugar and serve in chilled bowls garnished with crème fraiche.

Woo your intended with an easy Cassoulet, a simple baked dish combining chicken legs, bacon, ONION, CARROT, CELERY, GARLIC, fresh HERBS, chicken stock, white BEANS, smoked sausage, TOMATOES and bread crumbs.

Chicken Provencal is also easy to prepare, sautéed chicken legs and breasts served on a bed of cous cous and covered with a fragrant sauce combining chopped TOMATOES, GARLIC, THYME, OREGANO, ROSEMARY and beef stock.

And the piece de resistance for dessert? A Chocolate Mocha Mousse garnished with toasted ALMONDS or French Country Crepes with butter and sugar, garnished with whole BLUEBERRIES or RASPBERRIES. Vive l’amour!

RED FLAME SEEDLESS GRAPES from Chile are among this week’s best FRUIT values.

California STRAWBERRY production was hard hit by the recent freeze, so supply is expected to be scarce to non-existent for Valentine’s Day. Off-shore sources are supplying BLUEBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES and RASPBERRIES, with prices at premium levels thanks to high demand.

Expect prices to escalate upwards on the available supply of NAVEL ORANGES, with much of California’s crop damaged by unseasonably cold weather. More reasonable prices prevail on LEMONS, LIMES and RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT.

As current supplies dwindle, expect a price spike for MINNEOLA TANGELOS and DANCY TANGERINES.

Prices are easing on Chilean BING CHERRIES as volume improves.

D’ANJOU PEARS remain a good value, with supply steady. Dip slices in melted dark chocolate for an elegant yet easy dessert.

Prices are decreasing on PEACHES and NECTARINES from Chilean growers as volume improves.

PINEAPPLE from Hawaii is an excellent FRUIT choice this week, with prices moderate.

APPLE prices remain unaffected by recent weather, with moderate prices and good supplies on varieties ranging from RED and YELLOW DELICIOUS to tart FUJI and GRANNY SMITH.

As the Super Bowl approaches and demand for party menus increases, HASS AVOCADO prices are inching upwards, with California’s volume affected by the freeze, but Chilean supplies filling in some of that gap.

Even BANANA prices are rising as this FRUIT staple becomes a good alternative to BERRIES and CITRUS made scarce by the freeze.

SWEET WHITE CORN is an excellent value this week, perfect for boiling or grilling. Add cooked kernels to clam or crab chowder.

ICEBERG LETTUCE is this week’s most economical salad value.

Salad toppings in plentiful supply include RADISHES, GREEN ONIONS, JICAMA, MUSHROOMS, CELERY, CARROTS and fresh HERBS.

RUSSET POTATOES are an economical value. Cut into wedges skin-on, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and bake until tender. Garnish with PARSLEY and Parmesan cheese prior to serving.

WHITE ROSE POTATOES are an excellent value, great for boiling skin-on and serving as a side dish tossed with butter and ROSEMARY or THYME.

GARNET YAMS, a rich source of energy-producing Vitamin B, are very reasonably priced. Microwave, steam or bake and serve with PINEAPPLE-RAISIN butter sauce.

EGGPLANT is a good side dish choice this week. Cut in half, stuff with seasoned bread crumbs and bake covered with cheese and TOMATO sauce.

GREEN BELL PEPPERS continue in good supply. Dice finely and add to tuna melt sandwiches for color and crunch.

Good values for Asian stir-fry dishes this week include DAIKON, BOK CHOY, SPROUTS, GINGER and GARLIC.

Freshly made salsa is the perfect topping for salmon or tilapia; TOMATILLOS, JALAPENO CHILES and CILANTRO are all in steady supply.

Potted MUMS and ANTHURIUM are the best blooming plant values this week. In cut arrangements, ROSES, CARNATIONS, DAISIES and TULIPS are an excellent value.

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