A veteran of countless California restaurant kitchens, Kate Gerteis Shaffer moved to Maine in 2000 and landed her dream job as a cook at lighthouse inn on remote Isle au Haut.

Five years later, the owners decided to retire. Kate Shaffer was determined to find a way to use her skills to stay on the island and with the community she had 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, and run a café in the middle of nowhere from which to sell them.

With the inception of Black Dinah Chocolatiers, the couple set out to make a living, but ended up making a life.

“Desserted: Recipes and Tales from an Island Chocolatier,” tells the story of Kate Shaffer's unlikely career and shares her tips and recipes for chocolate confections and other popular items served at the couple's seasonal cafe.

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. From building a successful business on a remote island to creating fabulous gourmet chocolates, “Desserted” removes the mystery but keeps all of the magic.

In November, Dessert Professional Magazine named Kate Shaffer one of North America’s Top Ten Chocolatiers.

Kate Shaffer plans to speak (and hopefully sell some chocolate) at the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library’s Literary Luncheon at 11:45 a.m., Friday, Nov. 9. Cost of the lunch is $10 (catered by Red Cup). Go to the library and sign up early as space is limited. Registration deadline is Thursday, Nov. 8.