In 2007, at the edge of a misty forest on the tiny Maine island of Isle au Haut, our chocolate company twinkled into exisistence. For eight years, Kate Shaffer made exquisite confections in her home kitchen, and offered them to locals and visitors from around the world at her cafe, which rested in the shade of Black Dinah Mountain (for which our company was orginally named). Organically (and some say, magically!), word of Kate's chocolates--made from things that grew in the forests and gardens of Isle au Haut--spread, and the fledgling business grew...and grew...and grew. In 2015, Kate, Steve and their two cats, packed up the island kitchen and moved the blossoming business south, just outside of Portland, Maine. At Ragged Coast, we make all of our confections with fresh cream and butter from local farms. We buy or trade for fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables, and edible flowers with Maine farmers and gardeners we've met along the way--at farmers' markets, on the road, in our shops, or on their farms. We use premium teas, organic, locally roasted coffee, and whole spices to flavor our confections. And we source single origin, sustainably-grown chocolates from producers in Latin America that not only make the best chocolate in the world, but also treat the growers, harvesters, and the flora and fauna on their lands with respect. We know you can taste the difference.
