Generations of Nourishment: A Culinary Legacy of Afro-Caribbean Women

Authentic. Rustic. Sophistication and class. These elements have endured and persisted through the culinary heritage of Caribbean cuisine, its origins sprung from the many contributions by Afro-Caribbean women.

Two Jamaican-born sisters, Suzanne and Michelle Rousseau, are centering those traditions and carrying it forward in their new and latest cookbook, Provisions: The Roots of Caribbean Cooking.

Provisions is a collection of 150 vegetarian recipes that eloquently combines traditional Caribbean cooking with elements of contemporary and international flavors. It particularly highlights the largely unrecorded culinary achievements and contributions of Afro-Caribbean women throughout the Caribbean region.

I met the Rousseau sisters for the first time at Taste of Resilience, a public event held at the Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD), in Brooklyn, NY. Engulfed in food and conversation, the Rousseau Sisters shared deeply personal stories with bestselling cookbook author, Julia Turshen, diving into the inspiration, intention, and message behind Provisions.

“It’s really important to know your legacy; and to know who you are and where you’re from in order to know where you’re going,” explained Michelle Rousseau. “I think you have to have this sense of identity especially as a Caribbean person in this ever-evolving world.”

You could feel a profound love and reverence for their culinary history and ancestry, as they shared with the audience a story about their great grandmother Martha Matilda Briggs, aka, Ma Briggs, the creator the Briggs Patty. Ma Briggs was famous for her crispy crust patties, now commonly known as Jamaican patties in the U.S. The sisters discovered that she was an entrepreneur and single mother of seven who defied many obstacles of her time to become a successful business woman in 1930’s Jamaica. This important revelation led to the realization that perhaps their love of cooking and entrepreneurial spirit was not one of happenstance, but one of destiny.

“Appreciate the stories of [Afro-Caribbean] women of the past. Take the time to get to know who they are and what they cooked, as well as how that informs who we are in the world.”

Suzanne Rousseau, co-author of Provisions: The Roots of Caribbean Cooking

As the audience and I glimpsed into the sisters’ culinary past and lineage, we sampled hors d’oeuvres selected from the Provisions cookbook, paired with cocktails curated by spirits educator, Shannon Mustipher. The playful ackee-stuffed wontons were served with scotch bonnet tomato dipping sauce and was a warm, moist, and flavorful combination with a crispy crust reminiscent of an egg roll. I tasted the familiar texture of the ackee filling, reminded of my own experiences of harvesting and cooking fresh ackee back home in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Ackee (also spelled Akee and Achee) is a staple of historical importance. The ackee tree originated in Western Africa and can grow up to 30 feet tall and produces a fruit that is somewhat bell shaped. When ripe this fruit will turn from green to a bright red to yellow-orange and splits open to reveal three shiny black seeds attached to fleshy yellow lobs. This is the edible part, harvested only after the pods open naturally on their own. If forced open the unripened fruit is poisonous. It’s widely grown throughout the Caribbean, and is one-half of Jamaica’s national dish, ackee & saltfish.

“Appreciate the stories of [Afro-Caribbean] women of the past,” asserted Suzanne Rousseau. “Take the time to get to know who they are and what they cooked, as well as how that informs who we are in the world”.

Among food enthusiasts, curious eventgoers, and fellow chefs, both sisters embraced the casual social gathering, while emphasizing the importance of Caribbean culture, traditions and cuisine and recognizing the resilience of their ancestors who brought forth these rich, lasting recipes.

“If you don’t have resilience you can’t survive,” expressed Michelle Rousseau.

This spirit of resilience is forever woven into the fabric of Caribbean culture and heritage through the foods that have nourished the mind, body and soul, from generations past and generations to come.

Suzanne and Michelle Rousseau currently reside in Kingston, Jamaica.

To learn more about Suzanne and Michelle Rousseau visit 2sistersandameal.com or if you happen to be in Jamaica, visit their restaurant, Summer House at The Liguanea Club.

Provisions: The Roots of Caribbean Cooking is available for purchase on Amazon.