Simply Divine Brownies
By Edith Hall Friedheim
 Call
it Yankee ingenuity or just a powerful work ethic, but the Maine-based mother
and daughter team behind SIMPLY DIVINE BROWNIES has taken a small cottage
industry and turned it into an international force in less than three years.
It all began when retired schoolteacher Trina Baulier decided she could bake
better brownies than the synthetic-tasting ones offered at local pastry shops in
and around her hometown of Brunswick, Maine. Within weeks, she was in business,
using the highest quality chocolate and other ingredients for brownies made from
scratch "with love, laughter and the finest confections". That was in November,
2004. About a year ago her daughter Meggan joined the operation, bringing with
her a talent for PR and a flair for marketing. The combination of Meggan's
business savvy and Trina's culinary finesse has brought in customers from L.A.
to Bangkok, from L.L. Bean to the Home Shopping Network and even a stint on Al
Roker's Food Network show "Roker on the Road".
"There's something magical about brownies", says Trina Baulier. "They just
always attract people." Her recipe for success? "Have an excellent product and
be nice to people."
Being nice to people has paid off for the Bauliers. In a touching show of
support, local businesses have given them discounts on everything from chocolate
and packaging materials. Employees have cheerfully worked overtime to fill
orders during the busy seasons, especially Christmas and Valentine's Day, when
production can reach almost 4,000 brownies a day.
 As
to the main event, any brownie worth its calories is rich and chewy. What
distinguishes Simply Divine brownies from other similar products are their
unusual frostings – peppermint, apple, bourbon, sour cherry, even sweet potato
cheesecake, to name a few out of more than 25. Add whimsical names and gorgeous
presentations – our gift box wrapped in chocolate-colored ribbon held tiny
individual cellophane bags, one to a brownie, all labeled in case I couldn't
tell the crème de menthe from the cappuccino.
Having long ago committed to slow death by chocolate, I found several
like-minded friends and together we sampled every flavor and awarded prizes in
several categories. The Maine-blueberry-studded-and-frosted "Singin' the Blues"
won hands down for most offbeat. "Perk Up", its creamy cappuccino icing laced
with Kalhua, and the bourbon-infused "High Spirits" tied for subtlety of taste
and texture, while "Calmel", a turtle brownie wrapped in caramel, topped with
toasted pecans and drizzled with chocolate, ranked as my personal favorite. "One
Potato, Two Potato, Sweet Potato, Soar" won top billing for name.
Other standard SIMPLY DIVINE brownie flavors include unfrosted or frosted
chocolate, fruit and nut, s'mores, raspberry, butter brickle and raisin. A
popular Brownie Star of the Month club mixes conventional and unusual flavors in
a monthly gift selection. Also available are artfully decorated brownies in
holiday shapes, such as Christmas trees, stars, snowflakes, eggs, ducklings,
shamrocks, even watermelon slices and ice cream cones.
SIMPLY DIVINE BROWNIES
14 Maine Street, Fort Andross, Mill 2
Brunswick, ME 04001
Call Toll free (1-888) 3browni.
www.simplydivinebrownies.com |
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