(Da Capo Books, 2018)

Caribbean food has a deeply complex history influenced by colonialism, slavery and the resulting systems put in place for slaves to feed their families on plantations. This reality resulted in a little known, but influential aspect of the cuisine, in which women became involved in all aspects of food production, from cultivating the land to preparing meals for the many who dined at their table. Although best known for its use of roots, exotic vegetables, and tropical fruit, in PROVISIONS: The Roots of Caribbean Cooking—150 Vegetarian Recipes, authors and sisters Michelle and Suzanne Rousseau expand our perspective on Caribbean food by sharing the untold stories of their innovative female ancestors who, throughout the centuries, used the ingredients and facilities that were available to them to create imaginatively flavorful and filling meals.

Michelle and Suzanne were never short on information about the history of the men in their family, but very little was known about their female line despite the profound impact that their great-grandmothers had on the family legacy and traditions, including cooking. The authors begin their work by introducing us to the women who, influenced them and their work. Their great-grandmother, Martha Matilda Briggs, was one of these women. As an independent, female black entrepreneur in the 1930’s, when women seldom worked out of the home, Martha Briggs was a culinary innovator who, after starting her career as a domestic worker, went on open her own restaurant and create one of the first patties ever sold commercially in Jamaica, the Briggs crisp crust patty, which was famous and well loved by Jamaicans from all walks of life.

The sisters explore the diverse history, ingredients and artisanal nature of Caribbean cuisine which has been shaped by techniques and dishes passed down orally, and by hand, from generation to generation. Through their narrative and visually arresting images, the sisters reveal Caribbean food to be a perfect juxtaposition of the refined and the rustic; classic dishes like roast breadfruit or steamed calalloo are often prepared in a traditional manner using vessels like coal pots or yabbas, but served on fine European china at well-appointed tables. In this vegetarian cookbook, the authors explore how, centuries before the rise of the “locavore” movement, their ancestors made full use of all the ingredients they had in their local environs, including fruits, vegetables, spices, coffee, and even rum, to create a unique and dynamic cuisine.

Sisters Michelle and Suzanne Rousseau have spent the last twenty years exploring the identity of Caribbean food from their unique vantage point as Jamaican writers, researchers, restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs. They are co-principals of Summerhouse at the Liguanea Club, a Caribbean gastropub located in Kingston Jamaica, that brings to life their signature modern heritage dining in a gracious and refined old world setting. They are also the authors of CARIBBEAN POTLUCK.

For more on Michelle and Suzanne Rousseau, please visit 2sistersandameal.com.