Black Isle eatery The Anderson in Fortrose boosts Lebanese Red Cross cause after horrific blast
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A BLACK Isle eatery which devoted a culinary event to raising funds for people devastated by the Beirut explosion that killed nearly 200 people and injured 6000 more has thanked customers for their support.
The Anderson in Fortrose staged the fundraiser for the Lebanese Red Cross in the wake of last month's blast, caused by a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port.
Owner Jim Anderson said: "The enthusiasm for our dine-to-aid fundraiser was such that we sold it out well in advance. Through the kindness of our customers we were able to raise £165 for the Lebanese Red Cross to support their efforts in the wake of the horrific explosion."
The special Lebanese menu featured authentic dishes such as kibbeh, shawarma, kabsa, mujaddara and maamoul. It was the latest instalment of The Anderson's series of Lockdown Menus that features a different themed meal every Saturday night, for takeaway or dining in.
Recent themes have included French, Korean, Cajun, Jamaican, Armenian, curry, BBQ, Moroccan and Vietnamese.
Mr Anderson said: "Although we've just re-opened our restaurant for limited dine-in meals, we started offering takeaway the day after the govenrment forced pubs and restaurants to lock down in March. We began with our classic menu of punters' favourites from our 17 years here in Fortrose. When we decided to hold a curry night one Saturday, it proved so popular that we decided to attach a different theme to each Saturday.
"For our customers, it has proven to add a bit of variety to their week. As chef and bottle washer, I'm finding out what it's like to concoct a drastically-different, exotic, three-course dinner party for 60 every seven days. My experience of spending several years in Philadelphia cooking in Italian, Mexican, French, Chinese and modern American restaurants has really come in handy!"
Future themes may – or may not – include pub classics, Alsace, ancient Rome, Thai and exotic game.
For updates, see www.theanderson.co.uk or the Facebook page
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