What's your opinion of St Valentine's Day? A perfect opportunity to indulge your loved one, propose to someone special, or re-ignite passion in a long-term relationship? Or, like many people, do you believe it's simply a marketing man's dream, heavily promoted by big brand retailers to shift expensive gifts, cards and treats?

Whichever side of the fence you sit on (and in my household, I definitely go for the whole hearts and flowers thing while my husband prefers a slightly more - ahem - reserved approach), you still can't ignore the fact that Valentine's Day has become a massive date in our collective calendars.

Valentine's Day actually started in the time of the Roman Empire, when February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno, the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses, but the Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. Each February 14th, the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars, and each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar. They would then then be partners for the duration of the subsequent Lupercalia festival - sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

Nowadays, it's usual to send flowers, chocolates and secretly penned cards to your chosen one, and thinking back (as an aside) about my days as a student at Cranbrook School, we had a tradition of sending coloured carnations, or writing a secret message in a specially produced Valentine magazine which was then sold for the whole school to read. In fact, does anyone know if these traditions still exist, as I'd love to know!

Many couples also choose to head out for a romantic meal to mark the occasion, and fortunately in and around Cranbrook there really are a great selection of places to choose from. I've been in touch with some of our best local venues, and here are 4 of my personal recommendations.

Rankins

First off the blocks is Rankins at Sissinghurst. Act quickly if you'd like to enjoy a Valentine's meal here, as there are currently only 5 tables left for Monday 14th. Beautifully candlelit, prettily decorated and the warmest welcome all sit alongside food sourced from the freshest ingredients. You won't find a special Valentine's menu here, but you will be offered a choice of dishes at varying set prices, with the option of buying a top-quality single red rose from the fabulous florist across the road for £7.50.

Terracotta

Head towards the centre of Cranbrook, and at Terracotta they have gone all out to wow guests with a really creative Valentine's themed menu. How about the starter 'Two in a Bed' of two huge scallops and two king prawns, or the 'You are my Honey' main course of duck breasts, red cabbage and a honey and clove sauce. Together with desserts and coffee, this menu is priced at a very reasonable £54.95 per person at this fun restaurant which always gets a universal thumbs-up from a loyal crowd of locals.

The George

Over at the George, I have to say I'm dazzled by their special menu - both in terms of price and the sound of the dishes on offer. Kick off with canapes, and then follow on with a selection of starters that include 6 oysters or warm duck confit. Cleanse your palette with a champagne sorbet then move on the main courses where you can pick from fillet of beef with horseradish mash, sea bass with salsify or a roasted lamb loin with a walnut and basil crust. Desserts include a chocolate and espresso pot, or a baked cranberry cheesecake. Cheese and biscuits and coffee with chocolate strawberries round off this belt-busting feast, and all at a staggeringly reasonable £45.00 per head.

The Curlew

Finally, how about heading out a little further afield to the fabulous Curlew (20 minutes down the road at Bodiam) where recently the team have received a much-deserved Michelin star, been the subject of numerous glowing reviews from the UK's most respected food critics, and been nominated as Tatler's 'Rising Star'. They too have created a special Valentine menu called 'His & Hers' which will appear only on Saturday 12th and Monday 14th February. Choose from 4 dishes per course; in particular I love the sound of the hand-cut venison starter with soused beetroot, juniper and rye, followed by goose leg with rhubarb and chicory salad with goose fat chips, all finished off with the wonderfully decadent iced-pine parfait with caramelized pear.

Whatever you do on Valentine's Day this year, enjoy! I'd love to hear what your plans are, where you are going - or any other recommendations you'd like to add to my list.