Méli-Mélo - September 2023

Old School
Class is back in session in the village of Portland. An old classroom has been turned into Recess Café by partners Jennifer Pryal and Tim McMichael. “We always thought maybe someday we would open our own place,” Pryal says, “but we were busy, and life happens.”

The two met while working at Chez Piggy in Kingston more than 20 years ago, and have worked in the industry ever since; Pryal most recently at Northside Espresso in Kingston, and McMichael at The Opinicon in Elgin. They moved to the Rideau Lakes area a decade ago, and the dream of opening their own shop remained just that until the pandemic kept them at home. With the lockdown forcing a pause on many in the restaurant industry, Pryal and McMichael had time to flesh out their business plans. McMichael had heard that tenants were being sought after for the former Rideau Centennial Public School, which closed in 2017 and was located right off of Highway 15 between Smiths Falls and Kingston.

“It was the right size for what we wanted to do,” McMichael explains, and so he went ahead and bought some key equipment. “We hadn’t even signed the lease and Tim bought the espresso machine,” Pryal laughs. “It wasn’t a straight line to opening.” Recess Café opened in November 2021, and the espresso machine has proven to be a sound investment. The pair say the community response to Recess has been amazing. Though they’re nestled in cottage country, the goal was always to be open year round, and locals quickly became Recess regulars. “So much around here is seasonal, that being open all year is appreciated,” Pryal says.

The kitchen, which they built out in what was the school’s hallway, is a fast-paced place, where McMichael and his small team — some of whom graduated from the school — fix up all-day breakfast and lunch. Along with the baked goods made daily by McMichael, the menu is concise, but provides a variety of breakfast, salads and sandwiches. The offerings are made to appeal equally to folks popping in to grab a coffee for the road as well as those looking to dine in.

When Recess first opened, a former principal from the school came by with a gift of old yearbooks — sometimes guests from the area find their old school pictures while they’re waiting for their latte. The café leans into the space’s past life as a classroom, with a giant tiger’s head painted on the wall (the former school’s mascot) and retro racing stripes on the wall reminiscent of a school gym. “We really wanted to open a place that we wanted to go to,” Pryal says, and it seems like they’ve achieved that and then some. School-aged, or not, everyone looks forward to Recess.

Recess Café
2761 ON-15, Unit 103, Portland, Ont.
recesscafe.ca | @recess_cafe

Gananoque Beacon
After running The Socialist Pig coffee shop and restaurant, a mainstay on Gananoque’s King Street for almost a decade, Shannon Treanor needed a change. “I knew I wanted to stay in the industry,” she says, “but not in the same way.” As the oldest of five kids, Treanor laughs that taking care of people comes naturally to her, but running a restaurant takes its toll, and in a changed restaurant landscape Treanor wanted to approach hospitality from a different angle.

In late 2021, she took possession of a “wonderful, dynamic building” — right beside the river, and across from a sculpture park. The building was originally home to Gananoque Light and Power, and after five months of renovations, Treanor was ready to open the doors to her shop, Lighthouse Provisions. The gourmet grocery store includes a bottle shop, prepared foods, a cheese and deli counter and baked goods. Treanor highlights local products, with an emphasis on products from women entrepreneurs. She estimates that 80 per cent of her stock is from Ontarian and Canadian producers. Though launching a new business during the pandemic was a challenge, Treanor hoped she could count on people wanting to try new things and continue exploring close to home. “Tourists came roaring back into town,” Treanor says, noting that her shop is a perfect spot for out-of-town visitors to try local fare, as well as for Gananoque residents to find their favourites.

“I’ve always been in hospitality, but retail is very different,” Treanor admits, though the core elements feel similar to her. “I love feeding people, and getting to meet and talk to people every single day.”

Lighthouse Provisions
5 King St E, Gananoque, Ont.
lighthouseprovisions.ca | @lighthouseprovisions

Back to school
Go back to school this fall with Pot and Pantry’s educational offerings including monthly cocktail classes with mixologist Stephen Flood and knife skills and sharpening with chef Lewis Robinson. Check potandpantry.ca for full event listings.

Night markets
Catch the Ottawa Markets at the golden hour with the ByWard Night Market on Saturday, Sept. 30 and the Parkdale Harvest Night Market on Wednesday, Oct. 4, both from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visit ottawamarkets.ca for more information.

Fair play
Rural agricultural fairs are a longstanding tradition in Ontario, predating Canada's confederation in 1867. There are more than 200 agricultural fairs in Ontario annually that marry agricultural traditions with midway, musical and other forms of entertainment to bring together diverse communities. The fairs offer everything from agricultural and culinary competitions, quilt raffles, antiques displays, tractor pulls, demolition derbies and horse shows to large midways, petting zoos, beer gardens and more. Here are just a few of the upcoming fairs in the area:

Perth Fair
Sept. 1 to 4
50 Arthur St., Perth perthfair.com

Almonte Fair
Sept. 8 to 10
195 Water St., Almonte almontefair.ca

Kingston Fall Fair
Sept. 14 to 17
303 York St., Kingston kingstonfair.com

Richmond
Sept. 14 to 17
6121 Perth St., Richmond richmondfair.ca

Carp Fair
Sept. 21 to 24
3790 Carp Rd., Carp carpfair.ca

Metcalfe Fair
Sept. 28 to Oct. 1
2821 8th Line Rd., Metcalfe metcalfefair.com

For a complete list of events in the region, visit ontariofairs.com.

Nesting at Thyme & Again
The space on the second floor of Thyme & Again’s flag-ship location in Wellington West has always been a gallery and a space to gather, but after closing to the public during the pandemic, owner Sheila Whyte and her team wanted to re-evaluate how they shared the space with their guests. The established caterer and eatery has re-opened the second floor space as Nest.

General manager Jennifer Quinlan calls it “a space that honours the storied past of the building, while bringing a bright new aesthetic that better reflects the vibe of our team today.” The venue is available for customizable events ranging from casual cocktails to fully plated dinners. Chef Devin Marhue has recently joined the team to head the kitchen at the Wellington location and up-stairs at Nest. The reimagined space will offer menus that feature “the same guiding principles [as Thyme & Again] when it comes to food philosophy,” Marhue says, “fantastic food, made with love and attention to details,” and featuring as many Ottawa area farmers and producers as possible.

Marhue is excited to cater to groups at Nest, saying that it reminds him of preparing for gatherings with his large ex- tended family. As well as catering events, Marhue says the team is looking forward to launching regular events such as wine and supper clubs. “It’s a wonderful meeting spot — a place for people to congregate around great food, company and conversations,” he says. Quinlan echoes that sentiment, “the space is a collaboration that brings to life our true love,” she says, “hosting our community and feeding them.”

Nest at Thyme & Again
1255 Wellington St. W., Ottawa
nestottawa.ca | @thymeandagain