Tea is very popular right now and from white and green teas to black tea, consumers are switching to loose-leaf teas, which deliver more flavor per cup. Described as one of the ideal tea infusers by Imbibe magazine, the Teastick is a great little gadget to complement your favorite loose-leaf tea. It is made of a solid piece of stainless steel with tiny holes that allow water into its main chamber to soak the tea leaves. The holes are small enough to keep even the finest teas out of the cup, while still brewing it to your exact specifications. The teastick has a small hook on top to prevent it from sliding into mugs and cups and can also be used as a stirrer, if you take milk or sugar. Price: $18.

Packed in an attractive red box, the Valentine's Day Gift Set from Tea Forte presents a nice change from the usual chocolates and roses (although combining all three is probably not a bad idea, either). The set is a personal tea service that will allow your loved one to pamper herself, or himself, with a relaxing cup of tea. The six infusers included have teas from Tea Forte's Exotics Collection, which includes "deliciously sensual and healthful blends," as well as a porcelain, lidded Café Cup, a wooden oval tray and two ceramic tea trays for resting the infusers. Price: $53.

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As far as sugar goes, these French Sugar Hearts are as elegant as you can get. Each heart has a notch in it so that it can sit easily over the edge of a tea or coffee cup, adding a bit of whimsy to the presentation in a way that a regular sugar cube, a certainly a bowl of loose sugar, could not. The cane sugar hearts come in white, amber and ebony, with the darker colors adding a hint of flavor that is more akin to brown sugar or raw sugar than white. Each box is imported and includes 64 hearts. Price: $25.

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When I Sarah's post about these mugs at Slashfood, I was hooked by the minimalist, yet homey design. The Signe Beaker mugs are handmade, with a ceramic transfer about either coffee or tea as decoration. The transfers are all slightly different, but might include descriptions of the flavor profile of a type of coffee or the origin of a particular tea. The mugs are thick, so it is not necessary to worry about them getting too hot to handle and they provide an excellent, comforting way to warm up your hands on a chilly night. Price: $28.

To help answer Deidre's question about not-yet-tried vodka flavors, Modern Spirits makes flavored "sipping vodkas" that are designed to win over even those who are not fans of straight spirits. Their products come in eight flavors, which include Black Truffle, Candied Ginger, Celery Peppercorn, Chocolate Orange and Tea. Celery Peppercorn is described as "the ultimate power drink," while the Black Truffle has scents of port, rich soil, pineapple and chocolate.

The vodkas are available online, as well as in select bars and restaurants in Southern California and Las Vegas. Available in both 375mL and 750mL, most bottles are priced at $24.99 for the smaller bottles and $37.99 for the larger, though the Black Truffle vodka retails at $29.99 and $49.99.