BRUNSWICK — Region Ten Technical High school has announced the opening of the Region Ten Café at 68 Church Rd., Brunswick. Food Trades students, under the direction of Chef Ellen Turcotte and Ed Tech Susan Taylor, will be serving lunch to the public on Thursdays from noon to 1 p.m. for a fee of $7.50 for a three course meal. Choose from among three appetizers, entrées, desserts and beverages. The student-designed menu changes every other week. Ample parking is provided at Region Ten Tech, with handicap parking and accessibility at the rear of the building. Reservations are encouraged; call 729-6622 and ask for Food Trades.

Region Ten Technical High School, 68 Church Rd., Brunswick, educates nearly 300 area students in 13 technical programs. Students enroll from Brunswick High School, RSU No. 5 (Durham, Freeport, and Pownal), and MSAD 75 (Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Harpswell, and Topsham). For more information, call 729-6622.

by Bruce M. Hardina 
Coastal Journal Editor & Publisher

BRUNSWICK — Sweet Angel is located at 136 Pleasant St., next to Sunset Signs in Brunswick. As I have mentioned in past reviews, I love ethnic food, particularly Thai, so when I heard that a new Thai restaurant had opened, I wanted to try it out and let you know what I had found. 

I ate there on a Friday afternoon. As I walked in, I was greeted by and led to a table by a nice young woman, who turned out to be my server. The restaurant is located in an old wooden building, like so many of the beautiful historic buildings in this area. It was well maintained, had hardwood floors and the original moldings around the doors and windows. Pleasing piano music was playing in the background, and the setting was intimate, with seating for only about 32 people, by my count. 

BOOTHBAY HARBOR — Kate Shaffer, author and chef, plans to speak (and hopefully sell some chocolate) at the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library’s Literary Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. on Friday, November 9. The cost of the lunch, which will be catered by Red Cup, is $10. Those interested should go to the library and sign up early as space is limited. Registration deadline is Thursday, November 8.

A veteran of countless California restaurant kitchens, Kate Gerteis Shaffer moved to Maine in 2000 and landed her dream job: cook at a romantic lighthouse inn on remote Isle au Haut. When, five years later, the owners decided to retire, Kate was determined to find a way to use her rather limited battalion of skills to stay on the island, and with the community, she had accidentally grown to love. Kate and her husband, Steve (both of whom knew squat about chocolate) dreamed up a business making gourmet truffles out of their home kitchen, with a café in the middle of nowhere from which to sell them.

With the inception of Black Dinah Chocolatiers, Kate and Steve set out to make a living. In November, Kate was named one of North America’s Top Ten Chocolatiers by Dessert Professional Magazine.

“Desserted: Recipes and Tales from an Island Chocolatier” tells the story of Kate’s unlikely career and shares her tips and recipes for chocolate confections and other popular items served at the couple's seasonal cafe. Lavishly illustrated with 50 color photographs, the book includes detailed instructions not only for making chocolates, but for incorporating chocolate into a variety of sweet and savory dishes.