[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 6] [Senate] [Page 8195] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]RECOGNIZING BLACK DINAH CHOCOLATIERS Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, today I recognize Black Dinah Chocolatiers, a rare treasure of a company found on the tiny, remote Maine island of Isle au Haut in Penobscot Bay. While this small business may be nestled on a small island, it is no secret to the world. Featured in Martha Stewart Living and various other publications, chocolate lovers travel from near and far to take the 45- minute ride by mail boat or ferry from the mainland to indulge in the rich, delightful taste of Black Dinah's specialty handcrafted chocolates. The history behind this tasty small business is a tale of adventure and creativity. Black Dinah Chocolatiers' founders Kate and Steve Shaffer fell in love with the small fishing and lobstering community of Isle au Haut after moving there in 2004. Not seeking employment in the island's traditional trades of lobstering and carpentry, Kate and Steve designed an alternative business plan that consisted of a product that could be marketed and shipped off the island year-round to compensate for cold Maine winters and a sparsely populated customer base on the island. Their solution was chocolate. With Kate's years of experience in the restaurant industry, Steve's experience in the computer repair business, and some assistance from one of Maine's exceptional women's business centers, the Shaffers launched Black Dinah Chocolatiers in July of 2007. Today, thousands of chocolates are shipped off the island to every State during holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mothers Day. In addition to an active mail order business, the Shaffers supply their artisan chocolates to Maine gourmet food stores, wine shops, and florists. They also run an organic bakery and coffeehouse from May through September for tourists and locals alike. This small business has a tremendous impact on the island's community--not only through its satisfying contribution of extraordinary chocolate but as a profitable venture that is helping to sustain its local economy through sales that have doubled each year since its inception. Black Dinah Chocolatier further assists the regional economy through its use of local Maine produce. Kate turns out dozens of handmade Venezuelan, Belgian, and rare Peruvian-style chocolates, including truffles and caramels, all of them flavored with natural ingredients-- organic herbs, flowers, fruits, and even cheeses cultivated by the region's farmers. In fact, each season's flavored chocolates are dictated by what is at the nearby Stonington farmers market on the mainland. Every chocolate features at least one ingredient from a Maine farmer located within 50 miles of the company's base. The Shaffers understand how critical it is for their business to establish and maintain local relationships, especially on an island the size of Isle au Haut. In a truly Maine example of how neighbors help each other to this day, Kate told Martha Stewart Living Magazine, ``It's not as though you can go to the store when you run out of butter. If I run out of butter I'll go to Diana, the innkeeper. For cream cheese, I call Brenda, a lobsterman's wife, who makes lots of crab dip. And of course, if anyone needs sugar or chocolate, they come to me.'' A true sweet spot in the heart of an island community as well as the hearts of chocolate lovers worldwide, Black Dinah Chocolatiers is a prime example of a Maine small business that seeks to be a profitable venture and a good neighbor. I commend its founders, Kate and Steve Shaffer, for their ingenuity in creating this thriving and viable business, as well as for their commitment and dedication to helping grow their local economy, and I wish them the sweetest success in the future. ____________________