Melissa Thompson says Jamaican cuisine reflects the country's history

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Award-winning food writer and activist Melissa Thompson’s debut cookbook - published on the same year as the 60th anniversary of Jamaican Independence - is called 'Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook'. Motherland is a celebration of Jamaican food, taking us on a journey from its roots to the modern dishes now eaten around the world. In-depth research is woven into the recipes, from the legacy of the indigenous Amerindians, the impact of British and Spanish colonisation on the nation’s gastronomy, to the huge contribution from the enslaved people of west and central Africa and indentured workers from China and India. Though sometimes brutal, Motherland doesn’t shy away from the 500-year story that makes Jamaican food the unique cuisine it is today.