Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Guyanese recipes, part of the Caribbean and South America. This page provides links to all the Montserrat recipes presented on this site, with 31 recipes in total.

This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Guyanese recipes added to this site.

Guyana is a country on the northern coast of South America, that identifies with the Caribbean and was once part of the historic British West Indies. English is the official language, with 10 recognised indigenous languages. The capital, and largest city, is Georgetown.

Guyanese cuisine is similar to the rest of the Anglo-Caribbean, especially Trinidad and Tobago and Dutch-speaking Suriname, where the ethnic mix is somewhat similar. The food reflects the ethnic makeup of the country and its colonial history, and includes ethnic groups of Indian, African, Creole, Portuguese, Amerindian, Chinese and European (mostly British) influences and dishes.

Guyana officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern coast of South America, that identifies with the Caribbean and was once part of the historic British West Indies. Georgetown is the capital of Guyana and is also the country's largest city. Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the south and southwest, Venezuela to the west, and Suriname to the east. With a land area of 214,969 km², Guyana is the third-smallest sovereign state by area in mainland South America after Uruguay and Suriname, and is the second-least populous sovereign state in South America after Suriname; it is also one of the least densely populated countries on Earth. The official language of the country is English, although a large part of the population is bilingual in English and the indigenous languages. It has a wide variety of natural habitats and very high biodiversity. The country also hosts a part of the Amazon rainforest, the largest and most biodiverse tropical rainforest in the world.

The region known as 'the Guianas' consists of the large shield landmass north of the Amazon River and east of the Orinoco River known as the 'land of many waters'. Nine indigenous tribes reside in Guyana: the Wai Wai, Macushi, Patamona, Lokono, Kalina, Wapishana, Pemon, Akawaio and Warao. Historically dominated by the Lokono and Kalina tribes, Guyana was colonised by the Dutch before coming under British control in the late 18th century. It was governed as British Guiana with a mostly plantation-style economy until the 1950s. It gained independence in 1966 and officially became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970. The legacy of British colonialism is reflected in the country's political administration, lingua franca and diverse population, which includes Indian, African, Indigenous, Chinese, Portuguese, other European, and various multiracial groups.

Guyana is the only mainland South American nation in which English is the official language. However, the majority of the population speak Guyanese Creole, an English-based creole language, as a first language. Guyana is part of the Commonwealth Caribbean. It is part of the mainland Caribbean region maintaining strong cultural, historical, and political ties with other Caribbean countries as well as serving as the headquarters for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). In 2008, the country joined the Union of South American Nations as a founding member.

Etymology: The name 'Guyana' derives from Guiana, an earlier name for a larger region that included the areas now called Guyana (British Guyana), Suriname (Dutch Guiana), French Guiana, the Guayana Region in Venezuela (Spanish Guyana), and Amapá in Brazil (Portuguese Guiana). According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the name 'Guyana' derives from an indigenous Amerindian language and means 'land of many waters'. The term Co‑operative in the official name refers to co-operative socialism.

Guyanese Cuisine:

Guyanese cuisine is similar to the rest of the Anglo-Caribbean, especially Trinidad and Tobago and Dutch-speaking Suriname, where the ethnic mix is somewhat similar. The food reflects the ethnic makeup of the country and its colonial history, and includes ethnic groups of Indian, African, Creole, Portuguese, Amerindian, Chinese and European (mostly British) influences and dishes. The food is diverse and includes dishes such as dal bhat, curry, roti, kitchrie, and cook-up rice (the local variation on the Anglo-Caribbean rice and peas). The one-pot meal, while not the national dish, is one of the most cooked dishes.

Dishes have been adapted to Guyanese tastes, often by the addition of herbs and spices. Unique preparations include Guyana pepperpot, a stew of Amerindian origin made with meat, cassareep (a bitter extract of the cassava), and seasonings. Other favourites are cassava bread, stews, and metemgee, a thick rich type of soup with ground provision, coconut milk and large dumplings (called duff), eaten with fried fish or chicken. Homemade bread-making, an art in many villages, is a reflection of the British influence that includes pastries such as cheese rolls, pine tarts (pineapple tarts), and patties.

Christmas and Old Year's Night (New Year) is the most celebrated time for Guyanese for food and festivities. Advance preparation starts with the preparation and soaking of fruits and rum or wine for Black Cake weeks or sometimes months ahead to intensify the flavour. Local drinks such as ginger beer, mauby and sorrel are fermented and require a sitting (pre-preparation) period prior to making. Ginger beer is the Christmas drink of choice, similar to the popularity of eggnog in North America. Some dishes certain to be served are Guyana pepperpot, garlic pork, black cake, sponge cake and home-made bread. Some of the local drinks and food require advance preparation.