Do you struggle with finding the perfect Valentine's Day present for your spouse? Join the crowd! I want to find a gift that is personal and meaningful, one that conveys just the right message of love and passion.

Last year I found it in our free weekly newspaper: a cooking class for couples at one of the most romantic restaurants in town. Now I had a one-of-a-kind gift, a surprise for my husband, and a dinner out - all with one phone call!

Most classes are hands-on, so be prepared to roll up your sleeves and earn your meal! The class usually prepares a full-course meal, with appetizer, soup or salad; main course with side dishes; and dessert. Often wines are suggested with each separate recipe, and of course you'll have the opportunity to taste the wine as you cook! Restaurants often offer couples' cooking classes during their slow times of the year, resorts and hotels may offer a regular cooking class for guests, and even private chefs can conduct a romantic cooking class just for the two of you in your own kitchen.

Look for a class that specializes in a favorite cuisine, includes a technique you've been dying to learn, or that promises enticing aphrodisiac foods. Passionate people often love to cook, and even if you're all thumbs in the kitchen the chef will make sure the entire meal is wonderful.

As Craig Clairborne, cookbook author and world-known chef, wrote: "Cooking is at once child's play and adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love." A couples' cooking class is the perfect way to celebrate Valentine's Day: love, play, and passion with the one you cherish.