Hi Everyone, If you had to come up with 5 food (food & beverage) items that people visiting Guyana must try, what would they be?
As I sat on a LIAT flight to Guyana, I picked up ZING (the in-flight magazine), which is always a good read. Staring back at me on the cover was the very talented and beautiful Tessanne Chin, season 5 winner of the popular music talent show, The Voice. I thumbed through the pages and came upon my good friend Alica Senhouse’s 5 things that you must try in Guyana; she lives in the United States of America. Alica recommends the Buxton-spice Mango, Egg-ball with Mango Sour, Mithai (crunchy Kurma), Pholourie and Black Pudding. I was so glad that I was heading to Guyana! I made a note to eat Alica’s 5 must-tries, but in my case, it was a must-have.
1. Buxton-spice mangoes. Check.
2. Black Pudding. Check, with mango sour.
3. Egg-ball. Well, sort of check. I say sort of because, for me, the egg-ball coating must be made of cassava not potatoes. An egg-ball with potatoesis not the same thing and I was very happy to hear that I was not the only one that shared that opinion.
4. Pholourie. Did not get around to that, I got side tracked with some cassava stuffed with minced chicken.
5. Mithai. Didn’t eat any. Once I was on the ground, my preference was for my favourite – the soft, fat little fried dough flavoured with cardamom and a delicate crust of crystalized sugar. I generally refer to it as the other kind of Mithai.
On my way back to Barbados, I picked up the magazine again and wondered what my 5 must-tries would be. More importantly, I wondered what people living in Guyana would list as their 5 must-tries. The lists are bound to be different because our lists would be subjective and based on our own tastes. Also, I suspect that the list would be different for Guyanese living at home and those living abroad. People living at home would tend to have a more intimate knowledge of what truly reflects the tastes of Guyana because they live and eat it daily. For those living abroad, the decisions are influenced by nostalgia and what me miss. In both cases, it would be about capturing a taste of Guyana (a difficult task because there is so much to choose from).
(Photo by Cynthia Nelson)
In coming up with 5 must-tries in Guyana, I put on my hat as a self-appointed, credentials-free representative of Guyanese food. Here they are in no particular order:
1. Ice-cold Mauby brewed from the bark, flavoured with spices and sweetened with the only gold in Guyana that matters – Demerara Gold (brown sugar). I would suggest that you get recommendations from people on the ground where is the best place to get the Mauby, barring that, get it homemade.
2. Cook-up Rice with the works and all the extras. With the works means with a variety of meats. A pot of Cook-up Rice shows the skill of a cook to cook ingredients that necessitate varying degrees of cook-times that should culminate in the rice, peas or beans, and meats finish cooking at the same time and not being over cooked, pasty, wet or soupy. The extras – fried fish, and fried ripe plantains along with some lettuce, slices of cucumbers and tomatoes complete a meal of Cook-up Rice. Homemade is best but if buying, get recommendations from people on the ground.
3. Cassava ball with sour. Get it while it is still very warm to enjoy the creamy texture of the mashed, seasoned cassava. Slice, or make an indentation with your thumb and spoon some slightly tart, hot sour. It is one of Guyana’s best street foods. Get recommendations on the ground.
4. Curry – whether it is meat, poultry or seafood, a Guyanese-curry is not like any other curry. It is not South Indian, it is not North Indian and it is not even West Indian, it is Guyanese. To have an extra special curry, buy the poultry or pork that the skin has been roasted/charred, the smokiness adds another depth of flavour to the curry. Home-cooked curry is the best.
5. This last recommendation is a combo – Tennis Roll & Cheese with Cream Soda & Milk. The cheese must be that sharp New Zealand Anchor. The Cream Soda must be Icee and the milk should be Nestle Carnation but you can try any other quality-canned evaporated milk. To get the full flavour of the cheese, ensure that it is at room temperature. Get recommendations on where to get the best Tennis Rolls.
Do write and share your 5 must-try food and beverages in Guyana and if you can, please indicate where to go to and buy your recommendations (if they are not homemade).
Cynthia
