Food, eating habits and cusine of Guyana

In light of Guyana being conquered and influenced by different colonizers, Guyanese cuisine is definitely a strong mixture of everything. It has its influences from the British, Africans, East Indians, Amerindians, Creoles, Amerindians, French and Portuguese. Their menus are always a mixture of these influences and use their very own food resources for each.

One of their favourite dishes is curry with roti. They also make cook-up rice – one pot meal of rice with beans or peas or probably both and usually served with fried chicken or fish. Pepperpot is a cuisine of Amerindian origin which is a stew made with Cassareep, the bitter extract of cassava, hot pepper and some seasoning. Metemgie is a thick, rich soup with coconut base and dumplings usually eaten with chicken or fish. Salara, also known as red cake, is one of their famous desserts.

They are fond of making homemade breads and pastries. They usually do pineapple tarts, cheese rolls, patties and cassava. They also eat stew and sweet potatoes for everyday. People living along the coasts have fresh fishes and other seafood as their staple food. As an everyday menu or during occasions, they usually serve crab or fish with plantains, cassava, eddoes and coconut milk.

As for beverages, the locals use fresh fruits and make their own drinks which they call “local drinks”. Mauby is a drink made from the bark of a tree. Ginger beer is also a popular drink made out of ginger roots and peanut punch. Aside from these, Guyanese enjoy drinking beer in general, Russian beer, Brandy and Whisky.