Guyana, formally British Guyana is situated in the northern part of South America where it nestles between Suriname, Venezuela and Brazil.

It is a country with many diverse cultures including the descendants of the original Amerindians called the Warrou’s, Africans, East Indians, Chinese, Portuguese and British, all of whom have left their mark on both the culture and cuisine which is enjoyed by the Guyanese people today. However, the Creole cuisine created by the African has been adopted and widely eaten by all the other ethnic groups living in Guyana.

Although Guyana is firmly situated on the South American continent, its history and diet is very similar in many ways to the Caribbean islands. Ground provisions consisting of plantains, green bananas, yams, sweet potatos cassava, pig tails, rice and peas, callaloo (spinach like vegetable) roti and curry dishes are all commonplace within the whole region.

The food consumed in Guyana is mostly produced in Guyana. Rice was brought to there by the Indians and all of their requirements are met by their own production. Meat and fish are an important part of their diet and it is cooked in many inventive an interesting ways, reflecting the multi-cultural nature of the country. Their recipes include the use of hot peppers, exotic herbs and spices, used to give flavour, colour and character to their food.

One dish that is exclusive to Guyana and very popular with the locals is a dish called ‘Pepper Pot’. This is made with a combination of fresh and pickled meats combined with many peppers, herbs, spices and cassareep (the caramelized bitter sweet root of the cassava plant) which is central to the recipe. The ingredients are stewed together until the meat is tender, then served hot with rice. Soups and stews are also common place in Guyanese cuisine with meat and vegetables as the main ingredients.

Rice and pigeon peas has its roots in Africa and very popular, mostly eaten as part of their Sunday dinner, mainly because it takes time to prepare. The green or dried peas can be stewed and eaten as a side-dish or it can be mixed with rice, cooked in coconut milk and served with stewed meat and perhaps a salad, to make a very tasty meal. Ground provisions such as plantains, either boiled or fried, breadfruit, sweet potatoes or any of the numerous other ground provisions can be served as side dishes.

Roti and curry is a dish brought to the Guyana by the East Indians and has become a firm favourite with the Guyanese people as a whole. In its simplest form it is a flat unleavened bread cooked on an oiled griddle, similar to a pita bread or tortillas and served with curry. However, there is another variation, whereby the roti is made with a central pocket into which dhal puri, (split peas that is cooked and minced) is added to enhance the flavour.

Guyana is a major producer of sugar cane and rum is one of its many by-products. Needless to say it is a very popular alcoholic drink, which can either be enjoyed as a stand alone drink or mixed with a variety of fruit extracts to create rum punch and many other delicious and refreshing drinks. Mubey is another popular drink made from the bark of the Carob tree (scientific name Colubrine Reclinata). The bark is harvested, boiled, cooled with sugar added and drank throughout the Caribbean by both men and women as an aphrodisiac and in recent times referred to as natural Viagra.

The list of food indigenous to Guyana, together with those brought to Guyana by the various cultural groups is extensive. However, what is interesting is the way in which the food has been mixed and merged to invent and create new and interesting dished which enhance and compliment each other effortlessly.