About French Guiana Cultural Foods
As with many places in South American, French Guiana has its own cuisine. The food served on tables throughout this tropical land is highly representative of the many different ethnic groups residing in French Guiana, as well as gastronomic influences from neighboring countries and international ties.
Features
Typical French Guyanese fare includes seafood, as French Guiana has a coastline with access to plenty of fresh fish from the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. There are also abundant fresh vegetables and fruit in the country’s main dishes, plus plenty of hot peppers and spices to add flavor. French Guyanese dishes tend to mix several ingredients all in one, combining meats, produce and carbohydrates. This is why curry recipes and fricassees are common meals throughout the nation.
Influences
Situated in proximity to South American nations and influenced by its status as a French territory, French Guiana’s cuisine is highly influenced by outside sources. In addition to traditional French Guyanese food, a wide range of restaurants here feature French, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indonesian and Creole cuisine. Indeed, French Guyanese cuisine itself is a blend of the food from all of these nations as well as typical Caribbean and South American foods, adapted with fresh, local ingredients.
Specialties
French Guiana boasts an array of unique culinary specialties. One favorite dish is the bouillon d’aoura, a mix of crab, prawns, smoked fish, chicken and veggies and flavored with aurora fruit from the savanna trees found throughout French Guiana. Another popular dish is fricassee: rice and beans served with game meat culled from the forests, including paca, collared peccary and tapir. French Guyanese locals have long washed their meals down with ti punch, a cocktail of rum, lime and sugar-cane syrup.
Traditions
Food plays an important role in French Guyanese culture, and sharing meals is considered a major part of religious events, national holidays and family gatherings. During these special occasions, the French Guyanese tend to make rich dishes that take longer to prepare. Traditional holiday foods include roti, a thick, fried bread, accompanied with rich curries and sauces for dipping, chicken stews and fish fillets flavored with lime and spices. Favorite desserts made for holidays and special events are often custard-like dishes topped with fruit or filled with vanilla.
Preparation
French Guyanese chefs, whether professional or not, tend to demonstrate their attention to detail and knowledge of spices in the presentation of their meals. Spices such as curry powders, cinnamon and especially cayenne pepper--whose name is derived from French Guiana’s capital city--are used not only to flavor food but also to add color to the plate.