Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook

Thompson, a British food writer and supper club founder, delivers her debut cookbook, an ode to Jamaica and her family history. On her journey to explore her roots, Thompson details the extensive history of the island and its ties with the trade of enslaved Africans and the colonialism that shaped its foodways and culture. The lush photography is inviting and includes images of delectable dishes and the Caribbean landscape. This true lesson in Jamaican cooking offers classics such as salt fish and a primer on jerk marinades and rubs. Some main ingredients might be less common in some areas of the United States (goat, mutton, fresh seafood) but these recipes are the real deal (even as substitutions are provided). An extensive bibliography and a further reading list help patrons explore more deeply the history of enslavement and colonialism and reflect on the past and present of Jamaica.