By Charlie Pike
From our January 2025 issue
Classic Dark Drinking Chocolate | RAGGED COAST CHOCOLATES
Ragged Coast Chocolates started 18 years ago in Kate Shaffer’s home kitchen on remote Isle au Haut. Now, her sweet little shop is nestled in downtown Westbrook, where, among elegant truffles and gooey caramels, a visitor will also find drinking chocolates. Not to be confused with hot chocolate, which combines cocoa powder and milk or water, drinking chocolate is richer and silkier, made by melting bits of actual chocolate into warm milk. Ragged Coast offers five different varieties: the classic dark chocolate (pictured above), pumpkin spice, matcha white chocolate, chai, and spiced ancho chile. Pile on some whipped cream, dust some cocoa atop, or maybe drizzle Ragged Coast’s whiskey caramel sauce, and kiss Swiss Miss goodbye. 869 Main St., Westbrook. 207-887-9763.
Bourbon-Barrel-Aged Coffee | COFFEE HOUND COFFEE CO.
The woman- and veteran-owned Coffee Hound Coffee Company roasts their beans in Brewer, and their niche line of barrel-aged beans — which spend time in rum, whiskey, and bourbon barrels — delivers a belly-warming range of nuance. The bourbon barrels lend especially inviting notes: dark chocolate, brown sugar, caramel, vanilla. Lots of flavor, zero alcohol.
Cocoa Bombs | DEAN’S SWEETS
Architect turned chocolatier Dean Bingham knows how to make flavors explode at his Portland shops. His Dean’s Sweets hot-cocoa bombs are case in point. The bombs are hollow shells of dark chocolate packed with cocoa powder and house-made marshmallows. Toss one into a mug, then pour warm milk (dairy or non) over the top until the shell melts and the marshmallows burst out. 475 Fore St. and 54 Cove St., Portland. 207-899-3664.
Mulling Spices | SABBATHDAY LAKE SHAKER VILLAGE
For more than two centuries, the shakers at New Gloucester’s Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village have been growing herbs and medicinal teas. And in that spirit, the last active Shaker community in the world (population: two) now sells tins full of cinnamon chips, orange peel, allspice, and cloves to use as mulling spices through their online shop, perfect for sprucing up warm cider or wine.
Foraged-Chaga Tea | NORTH SPORE
Portland-based North Spore is run by a crew of mushroom evangelists, whose specialty is easy grow-at-home mycology kits designed to get even the most inept gardener hooked on ’shrooms. They also make a tea from wild chaga, an antioxidant-rich fungus found in the Maine woods, most commonly on birch trees. Consider adding a little cream and maple syrup to balance out this otherwise earthy brew.
Sea Smoke Tea | CUP OF SEA
Josh Rogers loves seaweed. At his Heritage Seaweed shop, in Portland, he sells seaweed soaps, seaweed lotions, seaweed chocolates, and more. He also loves tea, which is how he wound up producing his Cup of Sea line of seaweed teas. Well suited to this time of year, the Sea Smoke blend — a mix of smoky lapsang souchong tea and dried dulse — will cut through any winter fog. 61 India St., Portland. 207-613-9744.
From our special “Winter Wonder” feature, our guide to the people, places, gear, and more making it possible to have an amazing Maine winter. Find a few “Winter Wonder” stories here on the website, and pick up a copy of our January 2025 issue to read them all!
