Pistachio's Events

Gabe & Andrew (and Arianna)

Gabe & Andrew Bennett are young entrepreneurs who live just outside Gananoque.  Although only 11 and 15 years old, they have been raising bees and making honey and related products for the last seven years.  They are regulars at the weekly Gananoque craft market.

Raising bees comes with heartbreak as well as satisfaction – this year their hives did not survive the winter.  Gabe and Andrew will share their story as well as how they make their amazing lip balm and “Wickedly Awesome Bee Balm” which are popular items in the café’s retail section.

Gabe & Andrew’s older sister Arianna (17) is also a successful entrepreneur.  She is the creator of “Island Soaps” – a variety of handmade soaps that are named for some of our Thousand Islands.  Island Soaps were Pistachio’s single biggest selling retail product last year.

Sadly for us, the Bennett family will be leaving Gananoque this summer but they have promised to continue supplying Pistachio Café with their balms and hopefully soaps. Please join us to hear from and support these fantastic kids.

Participants will sample some honey, receive a coupon for $5 off dinner at Pistachio’s “Pasta on the Patio”, and will be eligible for door prizes.

Limited to 20 participants; pre-registration at the café is strongly recommended.  No fee for this event.

North Roast Coffee

Rich Ottenhof of North Roast Coffee in Kingston is a Specialty Coffee Association Lead Instructor in Roasting and Coffee Cupping as well as Barista Skills. He has 25 years coffee roasting and importing experience. You can learn more about North Roast here: https://www.visitkingston.ca/north-roast-coffee-roasters-the-craft-of-coffee/

Participants try several of North Roast’s coffees (including the Dark Peru coffee we serve at Pistachio Café) and will learn the basics of assessing Fragrance and Aroma, Body, Acidity, Mouthfeel and Balance.  Learn about the different countries where North Roast sources its coffee beans and what is meant by Fairtrade Organic.  Rich will be able to answer all your coffee questions, such as how they get the caffeine out of Decaf coffee.

The coffee samples will be accompanied by some of Pistachio Café’s delicious baked goods.  Participants will each receive a coupon for $5 off dinner at Pistachio’s “Pasta on the Patio” and will be eligible for door prizes.

Limited to 20 participants; pre-registration at the café is strongly recommended. No fee for this event.

BUŠL (pronounced “bushel”) is a family-owned craft cidery located in Mallorytown, Ontario. They produce premium apple ciders with unique flavours that stand out from the pack.  General Manager Alison Gibson will introduce us to a variety of local craft cider flavours and styles, including two that are featured at Pistachio Café.  

The cider samples will be accompanied by cheese and crackers.  Participants will each receive a coupon for $5 off dinner at Pistachio’s “Pasta on the Patio” and will be eligible for door prizes.

Limited to 20 participants; pre-registration at the café is strongly recommended. Must be 19+. $10 fee for this event.

One of Pistachio’s winter events is a monthly book club, so we decided to carry our literary chops into the summer!  

Gananoque author Sandra J Jackson will be interviewed by Pistachio’s Lesley Poole.  Sandra will do a reading from her book “Promised Soul”, which is a mystery/adventure with romance - and a twist!  It’s a perfect read for the cottage. Copies of Sandra’s four published novels will be available if you’d like a signed copy.

Participants will be served samples of Pistachio Café’s delicious baked goods and will receive a coupon for $5 off dinner at Pistachio’s “Pasta on the Patio”.  There will be door prizes too, including copies of Sandra’s books!

Limited to 20 participants; pre-registration at the café is strongly recommended. No fee for this event.

A repeat of last year’s sold-out event, JJ Syers from Rosehall Run winery will guide us through a tasting of several Rosehall Run vintages, accompanied by some snacks from Pistachio Café, of course!

Rosehall Run is one of the oldest vineyards in Prince Edward County, dating to 2000, and is located on the shores of Lake Ontario.  Family-owned, it produces over 20 VQA wines from grapes grown on 25 acres of vineyards whose clay soil scattered with rock and shale fragments on a limestone base is ideally suited to grape-growing.

Participants will receive a coupon for $5 off dinner at Pistachio’s “Pasta on the Patio”.  There will be door prizes too, including Rosehall Run wine!

Limited to 20 participants; pre-registration at the café is strongly recommended. Must be 19+. $10 fee for this event.

We have invited several of our favourite retail suppliers to showcase their full range of products on our patio.  We just wish we had space for all these fabulous products in the café!

Confirmed so far are:

• Ridgway Chocolatier – Seeley’s Bay

• Willow Bay Naturals – Rideau Lakes

• Lather & Soak – Picton

• More to follow!

Shoppers who spend $25 or more at one vendor will receive a coupon for $5 off dinner at Pistachio’s “Pasta on the Patio”. No fee or registration required for this event.

A repeat of a very popular event from last year.  Steve Ritchie from Kingston’s Spearhead Brewery will guide participants through a sampling of several Spearhead craft brews.  Pistachio Café will provide the bar snacks! Steve is a wealth of stories and information about all things beer, so bring your questions such as how ales are different from lagers, and who puts pineapple in beer anyway?

Participants will receive a coupon for $5 off dinner at Pistachio’s “Pasta on the Patio”.  There will be door prizes too, including (of course) some Spearhead beer!

Limited to 20 participants; pre-registration at the café is strongly recommended. Must be 19+. $10 fee for this event.

Italian-trained Master Gelato Chef Tammy Guiliani will join us to describe how they make the award-winning gelatos and sorbets we proudly carry at Pistachio Café. It starts with a love story that grew into a family-run business with several gelateria locations -- and now a certified dairy operation!  Tammy will explain how gelato is different from ice cream, how they develop their recipes, where they get their premium ingredients, and more.

Of course, we’ll sample some gelatos and sorbets!

Participants will receive a coupon for $5 off dinner at Pistachio’s “Pasta on the Patio”.  There will be door prizes too, including some Stella Luna gelato!

Limited to 20 participants; pre-registration at the café is strongly recommended. No fee for this event.

August 23 – noon – 5 pm – Art Fair

Workshops at noon, 2 pm and 4 pm (30 minutes – limited to 6 participants each)

Our most popular winter event at Pistachio Café is “Wine and Paint Night” at which an artist-instructor leads participants to create a beautiful piece of art – even with no previous artistic experience.  We’ve invited several of our artist-instructors and some other local artists to display their work on the Pistachio Café patio.

Confirmed artists are:

Debbi Burns-Morrison

Flora  Aldritch

Su Halle

With more to be announced!

In keeping with our “paint night” theme there will be three short workshops (at noon, 2 pm and 4 pm) where you’ll be able to create your own artwork to take home!

Workshops are $10 to cover the cost of materials.   Pre-registration at the café is recommended.  Anyone who purchases an artwork from one of our participating artists will receive a coupon for $5 off dinner at Pistachio’s “Pasta on the Patio”.  All shoppers are eligible to enter a draw for a painting.

For our final event of the summer, Gananoque’s own Gan Brewing will conduct a sampling of their very local craft beers.  Pistachio Café will provide the bar snacks!

Each beer has its own story, many of which relate to the history of Gananoque and the historic building in which the brewery is located. Tours of the brewery will be offered after the tasting – it’s just a block from the café.

Participants will receive a coupon for $5 off dinner at Pistachio’s “Pasta on the Patio”.  There will be door prizes too, including (of course) some Gan Brewing beer!

Limited to 20 participants; pre-registration at the café is strongly recommended. Must be 19+. $10 fee for this event.