Nom-Noms of Guyana: Georgetown/Skeldon Edition

If I have anything to say regarding the food here in Guyana so far, it's DELICIOUS! The Guyanese have a penchant for having savory hearty meals for every time of day. Snacks? Hearty. Breakfast? Hearty. Lunch? Hearty? Dinner? Hearty.

Hearty Har Har.

Here's a run-down on the yummy tummy treats Ribz and I have enjoyed in the small period of time in Georgetown/ Skeldon.

Baigan: eggplant. The way I enjoyed it at Kayla's house was roasted directly on the gas stove. It's cut open and stuffed with chopped onion and garlic. After that, the flesh is scooped out of its skin and smooshed together and eaten with crackers.

Channa: garbanzo beans fried in coconut milk and various spices. Common street snack. Basically whatever you want to season it with is fair game.

Chow Mein: Apparently there's a large Chinese influence in Guyana, so you'll find quite a number of Chinese restaurants scattered through Skeldon. Personally, the place I went was not impressive at all, in my opinion. Here's hoping that the next time I'm in Skeldon I'll find a better experience than the first time.

Curry: GAAAAAAAH. The staple!! I can't even begin to describe the deliciousness of curry. Saucy, spicy, flavorful, I only have good things to say. It's a culinary chimera chameleon. Fish curry, chicken curry, you name it they've got it! Paired with white rice, it's used for whatever meal you so desire.

Eddo: The edible corm of the taro root. Boiled into the consistency of mashed potatoes, if seasoned correctly it is very "crave-worthy".

Icee: You remember the frozen juice/syrup/chemical liquid sticks that haunt every single summer, cutting the  edge of your mouth but taste AMAZING? Well here in Guyana they take the same liquid but use it to make soda. Excellent idea, Guyana, good job.

Iguana: yes yes I did it. I ate it. I ate iguana. Sorry Sandy, you were an awesome pet but my goodness, your kind make a great lunch. This is what Lena (Day #2) made us. Believe me, I had quite the mental debate prior to consumption. Refuse to eat and save face, or have bragging rights FOREVER....tough no? Sure, when it's cooked it still has very dark green skin attached to all the ligaments but still! If you ever get the opportunity to try iguana, I highly recommend it.

Pepsi: But wait, there's Pepsi in the States! Why is THIS here?!? The one-up Guyana gets in the soda department is that instead of high fructose corn syrup, they use real sugar (FROM REAL SUGARCANE GROWN HERE). So yes I believe I may never enjoy a soda (or "pop" as my brother's Midwestern roomies may vouch for) in the U.S. ever again...

Pilao: white rice and beans cooked together.  Same principle as Cuban congrí but different flavor. Guyanese food favors Indian spices generally.

Roti: the Indian bread of goodness. Perfect for sopping up curry sauce, it's a delectable finger food. It's soft and chewy at the same time, a most excellent accompaniment.

Tart: A sweet pastry that you fill with the jelly of your choice. The one I tried was pineapple.

Water Lily Seeds: I've seen these plenty of times before, but never assumed they were edible. Arranged very prettily in the pod, there are about 10 spaces where the seeds nestle in. You pop the pod off the plant and start shaking the seeds out and eat them straight. They have a hard nutty quality that'll jar your jaw but still taste great.

And there you have it folks! The first leg of the food posts! Stay tuned for more of the blogs!

Love,

The Adventurous A.