BACKYARD BOUNTY

Greet the scarlet macaw and be careful not to step on a turtle — the heart of Georgetown’s food scene is a market with a difference

The little country of Guyana in the north east of South America may have an extraordinary larder, but modern culinary innovations here are few and far between: the ubiquitous national dish, pepper pot, is based on an ages-old Amerindian recipe.

This makes the work of the Backyard

Café, where visitors can have private dining experiences or join market tours with its garrulous owner Delven Adams, all the more remarkable. The cafe is situated in the back garden of Delven’s home, in the seemingly unremarkable West Ruimveldt neighbourhood to the south of the capital, Georgetown. This isn’t where we meet, however; I first find Delven outside the Guyana Shop, close to the city’s restless Bourda Market. We kick off the tour with a look around the shop, which exclusively stocks products sourced from Guyana. To outsiders, there are few recognisable brands; many, such as Jet’s Pure Noni Juice, seem entirely mysterious.

Having picked up some cassava bread, Delven leads me out into the market, where things seem a little more familiar. He seems to know everyone in the 140-year-old market, and happily strolls around chatting while stocking up on produce to take back to his restaurant. Everything here is sourced from within the country, from the string beans to the cassava and the fresh coconuts. The fish has travelled as short a distance as possible to reach the stalls.

This market tour and lunch idea may not sound revolutionary in Europe, but there’s nothing like it happening anywhere else in Guyana. The idea came to Delven while he was working in the US and now he’s back in his homeland, his tailored tours show off the best of the country’s produce to foreign visitors.

All of this sounds very noble of course — but I’m happy to report it’s also all backed up with some outstanding food.

“At first people had no idea what I was doing,” Delven says as we leave the market with a basket full of fruit, vegetables and fresh fish. “They were kind of suspicious — but now I think they get it.”

We head to the Backyard Café, where

I say ‘hello’ to Robert the scarlet macaw and narrowly avoid stepping on Delven’s pet turtle before settling down with a

Banks, Guyana’s national beer. The menu changes with every trip Delven makes to the market; today, the star is fried snook fish with a mango and garlic salsa. Every mouthful is an explosion of flavour, which I wash down with the beer, only to have it roar back with the next bite.

“I always cooked as a youngster, watching my mother in the kitchen,”

Delven says as we eat. “There wasn’t any schooling or anything, just me watching, tasting and learning.” facebook.com/backyardcafeonline

Delven Adams and his mum; bottles for sale at the market