These are very exciting times at the Castle Gourmet. Our new website is now online and we are elated with the official launch of the monthly dinner events.  A few weeks back we hosted one of our most adventurous dinners yet, exploring the varied cuisines of Asia. Every dish was truly inspired, from Chinese dim sum to Thai coconut soup, and very fun!  Now as we enter Fall, and October plugs along, it’s time to gear up for another event! So the question arises: What to do next? If you live in Los Angeles or Southern California, you’re currently experiencing  the inspiration from which we decided to pull: Californian Indian Summer!

The Inspiration

In most parts of the country, people are beginning to prepare for winter, bringing out the sweaters and boots, and spending more time in the warmth of indoors. In the kitchen they’re forgetting about the light  watermelon salad they’ve lived off of all summer, instead craving the comfort of a soothing root vegetable soup. This of course sounds familiar to all of us, but if you are in LA this week, you know why things aren’t quite the same over here. When mid-October boasts 90 degree summer-like days, yet all the signs of fall are still around us, we get the best of both worlds. The farmers’ markets are still overflowing with fresh summer fare like berries, peaches, pomegranates and ripe heirloom tomatoes - yet there are also the beginnings of the hearty winter squash, crisp apples, sweet potatoes, and of course, the pumpkins we love. As Halloween approaches, we want to celebrate this unique time with our favorite things about summer and fall. Where one minute we want a backyard BBQ in the sun, and the next we want to build a roaring fire and tell ghost stories. we’re not quite ready to give up my summer BBQs, but we’re more than willing to welcome in the winter soup. And ghost stories!

The Dinner

Join us Sunday, October 23 for a truly seasonal inspired meal, as Chef Anne Lee and the Castle Gourmet presents a Californian Indian Summer feast! We’ve created a menu that incorporates all the sunshine and fun we think of from warm summer days, while bringing in the rich aspects of hearty fall fare.  Think of it as the last BBQ of the summer, and the first of many holiday parties yet to come. 

The menu (Subject to change)

First

The Slaw: Tri-Colored Beet, Rainbow Radish and Grilled Avocado Salad in Mustard Vinaigrette served over a bed of Watercress.

 

Second

The Soup: Pumpkin, Butternut & Sage Soup garnished with Fennel and Pomegranate

 

Third

The Burger: Open faced Chipotle spiced Mushroom Lentil Burger with Grilled Pineapple & Pickled Red Onions on a Cornbread bun, served with Seared Kale and Fried Okra with Spicy BBQ Marinara Sauce

 

Last

The Treat:  Choco Taco. A Fancy take on our favorite Ice Cream Truck indulgence

Please let us know if you would be interested in joining us Sunday, October 23 for this seasonal celebration! Spaces are limited to 12 seats at the table, and because reservations are first come first serve, the seats fill up fast! To reserve, please send us an email to castlegourmet@thisisannelee.com with your information and the number of people you hope to include, and we will let you know whether or not we have room left to accommodate you. If everything works out, we will let you know the steps needed to complete your reservation.

To receive information on all upcoming Castle Gourmet events, sign up for the mailing list! Fill out the web submission form at www.thisisannelee.com

The Castle Gourmet : A Pop-Up Dining ExperienceInstead of the small and static menus at traditional restaurants, pop up dinners and one-off dining events allow for a unique dining experience and allow chef experimentation of new recipes and innovative techniques. The unique menus ensure diners will experience an event and dining experience like no other; a meal that can only be experienced once, and one diners will not soon forget. 

For each meal, Chef Anne Lee combines gourmet techniques and presentation with locally sourced organic fruits and vegetables, focused on health but sparing no expense for taste. Menus are carefully selected using the freshest available ingredients, so each menu will be unique based on what fruits and vegetables are in season and bursting with flavor. The dinners are crowd funded, prix fixe, and vegan by design, with seasonal or internationally inspired themes. Invite only dinners ensure each diner is cared for and given five star treatment in an intimate setting. Dinners are designed not to imitate traditional meat-based dishes but to create new menageries of tastes based on palates of flavor to create familiar but new sensations.

To start receiving information on upcoming dinner events from Chef Anne Lee and The Castle Gourmet, please fill out and submit the form on the website www.thisisannelee.com

All meals are animal product free. All ingredients are sourced locally and organic when possible.

Bio - Chef Anne Lee

Chef Anne Lee’s passion for cooking grew from years of travelling as a vegetarian and sampling some of the best cuisine the world had to offer. Experimentation grew into a thirst for more advanced techniques and a palate for gourmet cooking. Anne studied raw vegan cuisine at Living Light Culinary Institute in Northern California, and then intensive course in gourmet, health supportive cuisine at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City, honing her interest in natural plant based cuisine. Anne now resides in Los Angeles where, in addition to working at Flore Vegan Restaurant, she hosts private dining events and pop up dinners for an exclusive clientele of entertainers, musicians, and artists.