Growing herbs and vegetables from seed in even the smallest space isn't difficult, and it's fantastically rewarding to eat the results. Halcyon seeds are the growers who have supplied Fifth Floor at Harvey Nichols, Vong, Mezzo and Bluebird, and their 2002 range has 60 new varieties (all untreated or organic). Readers can get a free packet of mixed salad leaf seed that can transform an otherwise bland salad and offer a more exciting alternative to traditional lettuce. The mix has been carefully selected to ensure that all the seeds can be grown together, offering a mix of colour and different flavours, and will contain: Greek cress, leaf radish , pak choi, mizuna, red mustard, and Tatsai. These can be sown under protection from late February.For a copy of the 2002 catalogue, send a first class stamped addressed A5 envelope to : Observer Free Seed Offer, 14 Modena Road, Hove, East Sussex BN3 5QG

As pants the heart...

Being a chocoholic, this is what I'd like on Valentine's Day - truffles from the Chocolate Society (10 years old this year), freshly made in Yorkshire from the punch-packing French Valrhona chocolate (£17.95 excluding p&p, www.chocolate.co.uk; info@chocolate.co.uk; 01423 322230). Or you could ring the Hill Station Ice Cream Love Recipe hotline for some potent ideas on 0800 587 0764. Their flavours include chocolate, cardamom and ginger - all aphrodisiacs. And the Co-op has launched an own-brand champagne in time for cupid, a well-priced buy at £11.99.

Short orders

Twenty-six per cent of people in this country think that Man U star Laurent Blanc is a grape according to a survey by the Wine Institute of California. A perfectly understandable and cheering mistake, is the opinion of those of us who prefer wine to footie.

Now is the time to buy Seville oranges

to make marmalade. If you can't face all that fiddle, follow my example and buy direct from small Dorset company, Thursday Cottage. They cook theirs in 20lb batches and the Bitter Orange is the nearest to home-made I've ever tasted: chunky bits, a minimum of sugar so the bitter tang comes through, and just the right consistency. Prices start from £1.99 and they do all sorts of other things including jams for diabetics. Details: 01297 445555. www.thursday-cottage.com.

Several readers have contacted OFM with complaints about mail order food company, Marchents. Around 1,700 customers had problems receiving their Christmas orders due to a software failure, and several people since then have felt they have been treated with 'complete indifference' by Marchents customer services. We contacted Marchents and they are 'deeply embarrassed' and apologetic about the situation and say each case is being treated separately. They say: 'Not all customers received a compensation cheque, some customers received a gift box, others got part of their order refunded, but everyone has a communication from us of one sort or another.' Jane Knowles, the marketing director told us: 'We are in talks about merging with another company because it's had a very detrimental effect on our prime season of business, so we're looking at sensible ways of cutting our overheads and being able to take the business forward in a controlled manner this year.'

Gadget of the month...Eva Solo scales

This clever design works really well because it can measure liquids and solids, looks totally stunning and is fun to use. The base is a robust ovenproof glass cylinder marked with metric and imperial measures, into which fits a spring. You place the deep stainless steel measuring tube on top of the spring and as you add your ingredients the tube drops. Easy to store, easy to clean, but pricey - £55 (stockists 01603 488 019).