‘A show of creative patriotism’
Mother, daughter authors present culture minister with award-winning Jamaican culinary book
CULINARY historian Dr Pamella Powell and her daughter and co-author, Roxanne Powell, recently presented a copy of their internationally acclaimed publication, The Evolution of Jamaican Cooking and Preserving Our Culture to Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia “Babsy” Grange.
The presentation was made last Friday as Jamaica entered Emancipation and Independence week, a period of national reflection on freedom, identity and the resilience of the Jamaican people. It also coincided with Jamaica’s 64th anniversary celebrations, being observed under the theme ‘United in Celebrating Resilience’.
Grange praised the effort of the mother and daughter co-authors as she called the book, “a show of creative patriotism.”
More than a cookbook, the publication traces the development of Jamaican cuisine through Indigenous, African, European, Indian, and Asian influences, while recording the traditions, household practices and cultural artefacts that have shaped Jamaican life.
The book features recipes, historical accounts, photographs and stories connecting food with family, community and national identity.
Among the dishes highlighted are breadfruit porridge, janga soup, Christmas rum cake, sweet potato pudding, curried lobster, and peas and bean stew. It also explores the history of the Jamaican beef patty, and old-time Jamaican celebrations.
“Preserving our food culture is an act of national pride. When we understand our ingredients, our techniques and our stories, we safeguard a part of Jamaica that cannot be stolen or replaced,” Dr Powell said.
The publication won Best Independently Published Book in the World at the 2025 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, competing against entries from Finland, France, Ireland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The mother-and-daughter collaboration also represents the passing of cultural knowledge between generations.
Their presentation to Grange placed Jamaican culinary heritage at the centre of the Emancipation and Independence season, reminding Jamaicans that the nation’s identity is preserved not only through music, language and ceremony, but also through its food, customs and stories.
