“Food writer Thompson celebrates her Jamaican heritage in her stellar debut … and here offers a rich and deeply satisfying collection of recipes … Mouthwatering photos bring the recipes to life … Her attention to the history behind the food sets these recipes apart; she details major events and lasting influences on the island, ranging from Christopher Columbus and the slave trade to the Rastafarian diet. This abundant immersion into Jamaican culture will whet readers’ appetites.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Thompson … 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 … [A] true lesson in Jamaican cooking … these recipes are the real deal … Readers will relish the research and detail Thompson put into her ode to her beloved Jamaica through its food and history.”—Library Journal

“Food writer and chef Thompson takes readers on a Jamaican tour with this homage to the influences, culture, and history that make up Jamaican food culture … Thompson does not disappoint. Her well-explained, one-page recipes offer suggested pairings for meal planning and are well organized for easy reading while cooking … [T]hose new to Jamaican cooking can take comfort with easy and delicious recipes like stamp and go (saltfish fritters); saltfish, butter bean and red pepper stew; and curry chicken. With so much to offer, this will easily become a reader favorite.” —Booklist

“Melissa Thompson’s enticing Jamaican-inspired cookbook Motherland combines a solemn history of the Caribbean island nation with notes about its delicious food and spirited reputation … Spicy, sweet, rich and varied, the recipes of Motherland evoke the unique wonders of Jamaica’s enduring spirit.” —Foreword

“A masterful work and a must for any lover of the food of Jamaica and the Caribbean region or simply anyone who loves good food … In Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook, Melissa Thompson gives us … a vivid history of the country and of her connections to it … Alongside the mouth-watering recipes, there’s family history and anecdotes and a glossary to aid novices.”—Jessica B. Harris, culinary historian and author of High on the Hog