The Moreish Podcast: Caribbean History, Culture, and Cuisine – Details, episodes & analysis

How salt shaped Jamaica’s culture and subcultures

Hema is joined by Alyssa Sperry Bertrand, a retired pastry chef turned academic and historian, about her research on the historical and cultural significance of salt in Jamaica. Starting with the colonial era and the Spanish followed by the British, they explore the transition of Jamaica from a salt-producing island to a sugar-centric economy, the role of women in salt production, and the spiritual and practical implications of salt in the lives of Jamaican Maroon and Rastafarian communities.

Alyssa shares how she got the nickname ‘Salt Woman’ and the amusing quest to find an out-of-the-way salt pond in Jamaica, complete with rum and a game of dominoes.

Alyssa talks about her research methodology and the importance of honouring the voices of the communities she studied. The conversation highlights the multifaceted nature of salt, its impact on culture, and the ongoing relevance in understanding Caribbean history.

About Alyssa Sperry Bertrand

Alyssa Bertrand (Sperry) is a leading expert on salt, and its relationship to Jamaican culture(s). As a former chef, and historical ethnographer she provides insight into the role salt played in the development of culture and identities among the Maroons and Rastafarians by understanding salt’s role during the Atlantic Slave Trade and how it shaped the cultural identities of the past and present.

Alyssa received her master’s degree at the Department of Global Studies at the University of Oregon and her bachelor’s degree at Washington State University in Anthropology and History. Alyssa has received numerous awards and grants for her research including the Oregon International Research Grant, Folger Shakespeare Library Scholarship, and Library Research Excellence Award at Washington State University. Alyssa is also a contributing writer to the books Salt in Eastern North America and the Caribbean (University of Alabama Press, 2021) and Women Who Changed the World (ABC-CLIO, 2021). She also published an article in the World History Connected, “Eating Jamaica: How Food is Used to as a Tool to Create and Reinforce Cultural Identity,” (Vol. 18, No.1, 2021). Currently,

Alyssa serves on the board of Friends of Jamaica, a non-profit organization, helping to raise funds and provide grants to community-based projects around the island of Jamaica.

Resources and Links

Remembering Jah Calo

William Berryman art

Episodes Referenced

Caribbean Foodways with Dr. Candice Goucher

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The Story of the Turtlemen: Navigating the Waters of Caribbean History

Who are the turtlemen of the Cayman Islands? In this episode of The Moreish Podcast, Sharika Crawford, historian and author of The Last Turtleman of the Caribbean delves into the history and cultural significance of sea turtle hunting in the Caribbean, particularly focusing on the turtlemen of the Cayman Islands. She discusses the rich maritime culture that has often been overshadowed by plantation histories in the Caribbean, how turtle hunting evolved from a subsistence activity to a commercial enterprise, driven by demand for turtle meat and tortoiseshell products in global markets, the socio-economic dynamics of turtle hunting, including the class structures that emerged and the environmental implications.

Connect with Sharika Crawford

www.sharikacrawford.com

https://x.com/SharikaCrawfo17

The Last Turtlemen of the Caribbean Waterscapes of Labor, Conservation, and Boundary Making

Episodes referenced

Caribbean Foodways with Dr. Candice Goucher

Resources and Articles

Lions in Africa: Lincoln University Alumni in Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana, 1951–1966

Dr. Archie Carr

The Sea Around Us, Rachel Carson

Peter Matthiessen

World History Connected review of The Last Turtlemen

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The History of Guyana with Melissa, West Indian Diplomacy

Melissa Goolcharran Ramnauth, Editor-in-Chief of West Indian Diplomacy, shares her knowledge of the history of Guyana on this episode of the podcast. 

From the early Indigenous peoples to the colonial power struggles between the Dutch and the British, Hema and Melissa dive into key historical moments in Guyanese history: the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade taking enslaved African people to Guyana to work on plantations, the abolition of slavery leading to indentured labourers from India, China and Portugal, to modern history including the declaration of independence from the Crown, and why the United States interfered in the early elections between the two main political parties.

Melissa’s passion for researching the history of Guyana comes through in all of her work, including her petition to digitize the records of enslaved Africans and Indian indentured servants in Guyana.

Resources

CARICOM

Gladstone Coolies

Coolie Woman by Gaitura Bahadur

The Last Ship: Repatriation from British Guiana to India, Nalini Mohabir

Historical Database Suriname and the Caribbean

How to find Indian Indentured Ancestors that went to Guyana and Trinidad

Connect with Melissa

West Indian Diplomacy

Instagram

Facebook

More episodes to listen to

Djamil Ninsoo, Afro-Indo Jamaican Cultural Advocate

West Indian Diplomacy with Melissa

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Exploring Caribbean Culture through Foodways with Dr. Candice Goucher

In this episode Hema chats with guest Dr. Candice Goucher, author of "Congotay! Congotay! A Global History of Caribbean Food," about the dynamic and fraught history of Caribbean food and culture.

From the reconstruction of Caribbean culture, the contributions of Indigenous, African, Indian, Chinese, and European peoples to Caribbean culture & cuisine, and the significant role of food in preserving history and culture, Hema and Dr. Goucher discuss the concept of creolization, the impact of European colonization, and the importance of everyday cooks in the Caribbean narrative.

The period of colonization had a lasting impact on the food and culture of the Caribbean, and in her book Dr. Goucher shares the impact that the Caribbean nations had on global culture & cuisine.

Listen to this episode for the survival and adaptation of food traditions amidst historical adversities, how these have contributed to the culinary landscape, and insights into how food history can reveal complex cultural exchanges that shaped the Caribbean.

Dr. Goucher provides insights into Caribbean foodways and history from her perspective as an African historian and archaeologist, Professor Emerita of History at Washington State University, and author of many books on Africa, the Caribbean, and world history. She is a recipient of the World History Association's Pioneers in World History Award for lifetime achievement. Her books on food have won Gourmand awards, including Congotay! Congotay! A Global History of Caribbean Food (2014) and Picnics and Porcupines: Eating in the Wilderness of Michigan's Upper Peninsula (2024). 

Resources

Candice Goucher, Congotay! Congotay! A Global History of Caribbean Food (Routledge, 2014). 

Sharika D. Crawford, The Last Turtlemen of the Caribbean: Waterscapes of Labor, Conservation, and Boundary Making, (University of North Carolina Press, 2020).

Alyssa Sperry, 'Just a Dash of Salt:' Salt and Identity Formation in Historical and Contemporary Jamaica," (M.A. Thesis, University of Oregon, 2021). 

Candice Goucher, "Recipes for Resistance: Gourmet Gods at African-Caribbean Tables," Eaten no. 1 (2017): 88-93.

Candice Goucher, "Caribbean Ice Queens," Eaten no.9  (2020): 6-17. 

Referenced Episodes

Exploring Caribbean Culinary History with Dr. Keja Valens

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A Folktale from Grenada with Kesha Christie 

Welcome to Season 3 of The Moreish Podcast! We kick off with Toronto-based storyteller and podcaster Kesha Christie’s rendition of a humorous Grenadian folktale, 'The Lady and Her Three Sons,' which highlights the Caribbean tradition of descriptive nicknames. 

Hema and Kesha chat about the cultural significance of nicknames, superstitions, and community spirit within the Caribbean diaspora, and they share their thoughts on why these stories and traditions are essential to preserving their heritage.

Through the conversation, we get a bonus tale as Kesha also shares a personal story about discovering her mother's nickname.

Listen in for an engaging folktale from Grenada told by Kesha Christie, and a lively discussion about Caribbean stories.

Connect with Kesha Christie

Website
Instagram
TikTok
Walk Good Podcast
Watch her TEDx Talk: Learning through the wisdom of folktales

Listen to more Caribbean folklore episodes:
Exploring Caribbean Folklore with Kesha Christie
Trickster Tales
Anansi's Antics in Antigua & Barbuda
The Power of Pataki Stories in Cuba
A Lizard's Lesson
Making a Deal with Death

Support the show

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Caribbean Christmas Traditions and an Anansi story with Kesha Christie

In the final Caribbean folklore episode of 2025, Kesha shares some traditions and unique ways different Caribbean nations celebrate at Christmas, including bamboo bursting and Junkanoo, plus some of the favourite food & drink made at the end of the year. Of course, an episode with Kesha is not complete without a folktale and this time it’s Anansi and Sorrel.

Listen to more Caribbean folklore episodes

Exploring Caribbean Folklore with Kesha Christie
Trickster Tales
Anansi's Antics in Antigua & Barbuda
The Power of Pataki Stories in Cuba
A Lizard's Lesson
Making a Deal with Death
The Lady and Her Three Sons

Connect with Kesha

To learn more about Kesha and her work, visit http://www.talkintales.ca
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
Walk Good podcast

Children’s Book: Mama Keeya’s Garden

Recipes from past guests

Teri’s Food Therapy Vodka Sorrel Fizz 

Teri’s Food Therapy Brown Sugar Glazed Ham 

3 Caribbean Recipes from Belly Full by Lesley Enston 

Recipes by Keshia Sakarah on YouTube 

Support the show

What is moreish? | more·​ish ˈmōrish | informal, of food, causing a desire for more

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One Caribbean: Exploring Dominican Folklore and Storytelling

In this final folklore episode of this season of The Moreish Podcast, Kesha and Hema celebrate the interconnectedness of Caribbean culture through stories. The episode features a bit of a dark folktale from the Dominican Republic about Joe, a lazy young man who makes a deal with Death to become rich. The story's undertones reflect the island's religious beliefs, and the discussion delves into how such tales highlight the shared yet diverse heritage of the Caribbean. They conclude by reflecting on the deep-rooted cultural ties that make the Caribbean a unique and shared historical experience.

More Caribbean folktales:

A Lizard's Lesson

Pataki Stories from Cuba

Anansi's Antics in Antigua & Barbuda

Trickster Tales

More episodes:

2/3 of Hispaniola: Dominican Republic

Land of High Mountains: Haiti

To learn more about Kesha and her work:

Website

Instagram

TikTok

Walk Good Podcast

Support the show

What is moreish? | more·​ish ˈmōrish | informal, of food, causing a desire for more

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Debunking the Irish-Caribbean Connection: Unravelling Myths and Historical Realities

Dr. Ellen Howley joins Hema to discuss the complex and nuanced history between Ireland and the Caribbean. 

In the context of Irish history from the 17th century, the British Empire, and the forced migration under Cromwell, Dr. Howley shares the complexity of some Irish people being sent to the Caribbean as indentured servants, while others chose to go and even prospered under the British Empire.

The Irish presence in the Caribbean, particularly on islands like Montserrat and Barbados, remains today, including the ongoing St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Montserrat. 

Dr. Ellen Howley is an assistant professor at Dublin City University's School of English. Her book Oceanic Connections: The Sea in Irish and Caribbean Poetry will be published by Syracuse University Press later this year. The book examines how anglophone poets from Ireland and the Caribbean write about the sea. She completed her PhD in 2020 and has published work in academic journals and online publications. 

Website

Article: Entangled Islands exhibition explores the history of the Irish people in the Caribbean - an expert review

Resources

• EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum 
• Entangled Islands - Ireland and the Caribbean YouTube video
• Donald Harman Akenson, If the Irish Ran the World: Montserrat, 1630-1730
• Sean O'Callaghan, To Hell or Barbados
• Finola O'Kane and Ciaran O'Neill (eds.) Ireland, Slavery and the Caribbean
• Jerome S. Handler; Matthew C. Reilly, "Contesting "White Slavery" in the Caribbean: Enslaved Africans and European Indentured Servants in Seventeenth Century Barbados"
• Alison Donnell, Maria McGarrity, Evelyn O'Callaghan (eds) Caribbean Irish Connections: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
• Liam Hogan's work on the "Irish Slave" meme
• Liam Hogan, Laura McAtackney and Matthew Reilly. "The Irish in the Anglo-Caribbean: Servants or Slaves?" 
•  M. M. O'Connor, Caribbean Slave Owners & Other Lesser Known Histories of County Mayo
• Karst de Jong, The Irish in Jamaica during the long eighteenth century (1698-1836) 
• Nini Rogers, Ireland, Slavery and Anti-slavery
• Michael Malouf, Transatlanti

Support the show

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Why the Ground Lizard Doesn't Sleep in Trees Anymore - A St. Martin / Sint Maarten Story

Hema and Kesha continue to delve into the fascinating, fun and informative folktales from the Caribbean. This week Kesha shares a story from St. Martin/St. Maarten that explains why ground lizards no longer sleep in trees. Through this short folk story, we learn about Sammy, the ground lizard, tamarind trees and the twin island of St. Martin / Sint Maarten. This one small Caribbean island in the Lesser Antilles is divided into two, with one side belonging to the French Republic and the other side belonging to the Kington of the Netherlands.  

Alongside the tale, the hosts discuss the cultural blend of Dutch and French influences on the island, emphasizing the richness of Caribbean folklore and traditions. They also touch on the significance of tamarind and other regional linguistic variations, while reflecting on the broader historical impact of colonization on the Caribbean islands.

More Caribbean folktales:

Pataki Stories from Cuba

Anansi's Antics in Antigua & Barbuda

Trickster Tales

More episodes:
One island, two countries: St. Martin & Sint Maarten 

Papiamentu: The Language of Curaçao with Sheedia Jansen explores another Caribbean nation that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

To learn more about Kesha and her work:

Website

Instagram

Walk Good Podcast

Support the show

What is moreish? | more·​ish ˈmōrish | informal, of food, causing a desire for more

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A Deep Dive into Caribbean Culinary History with Keshia Sakarah

In this episode of The Moreish Podcast, host Hema chats with Keshia Sakarah, a self-taught chef, food writer, and educator of Montserratian and Barbudian descent. Based on topics raised in her first book Caribe A Caribbean Cookbook with History they explore the rich history of the Caribbean and its influence on contemporary food and culture. From the Indigenous names for each nation, unique ingredients used in everyday cooking and a plethora of recipes, the conversation celebrates the diverse and resilient heritage of Caribbean people and cuisine.

The discussion delves into Keshia’s personal connection to the Caribbean, the immigrant experience in her home in the UK, and the evolution of traditional recipes. The episode provides enlightening insights into how Caribbean cuisine maintains its authenticity while adapting to new environments. 

Connect with Keshia
Website
Instagram
About the book Caribe by Keshia Sakarah (US RRP of $45)

Episodes referenced in this episode
Exploring Caribbean Culinary History with Keja Valens

Support the show

What is moreish? | more·​ish ˈmōrish | informal, of food, causing a desire for more

If you are enjoying the podcast, consider supporting the show to help us continue to make great content.

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Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!) https://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/jerk-sauce