Motherland is a celebration of Jamaican food from its roots to the dishes that have made it the unique cuisine it is today.
The cookbook - that features in-depth research into the evolution of the island's food - charts the contribution of indiginous Jamaicans, the Taino, and follows the impact of colonisation, and how those periods under Spanish and British rule left an indelible mark on the nation's gastronomy, including the introduction of pigs, ackee, saltfish, coffee, sugarcane and Easter bun, while enslaved men and women from West and Central Africa brought inspiration from home and familiar cooking techniques to create legacy dishes that are still celebrated today. The contribution of Indian and Chinese indentured workers is also examined, and woven into the recipes so the reader is invested in dishes they cook.
Motherland does not shy away from the brutality of the colonial periods, using eyewitness accounts to describe the barbarity of the colonial powers. The story gives context to the food taking the reader on a journey to this Caribbean jewel through more than 500 years.
The book includes classic Jamaican recipes, such as Jerk Pork, Braised Oxtail, Ackee & Saltfish and Peanut Punch, as well as unique dishes created with Jamaica's abundant natural larder and twists on classics - including Guinness Punch Pie and Coconut & Lime Shellfish.
Motherland
Melissa Thompson
A celebration of Jamaican food from its roots to the dishes that have made it the unique cuisine it is today.Material available
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EnglishBook Details
Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date: 29/09/2022
Format: 246 x 189 mm | 288 pagesAbout the Author
Melissa Thompson is an award-winning writer and cook who started a supper club in her front room in 2014. A former feature writer on a national newspaper, in 2015 she left journalism to pursue her love of cooking, with the supper club growing into a sell-out pop out across locations in London.
Born in Dorset to a Jamaican father and Maltese mother, her food has always been an eclectic celebration of cuisines around the world. She is passionate about flavour, provenance and respecting food cultures. As a food writer, she has penned powerful articles on the British food industry that became focal points for important discussions around identity, diversity and inclusivity. She won the Guild of Food Writers' Food Writing Award in 2021. She has spoken on issues of representation at talks, including regularly chairing panel discussions for the British Library's food season.
She works as an ambassador for Weber and writes BBQ recipes for magazines, food brands and newspapers. She is a columnist for BBC Good Food magazine and has written articles and recipes for the Guardian, Stylist, Vittles, Waitrose Weekend and Waitrose Magazine.
