The Moreish Podcast: Caribbean History, Culture, and Cuisine

Book Talk: Layaway Child with Chanel Sutherland

Exploring Caribbean migration experiences and barrel children through short stories In this episode, Hema talks to Chanel Sutherland about her first book, Layaway Child, a collection of short stories exploring the Caribbean immigrant experience. Chanel shares her personal journey of being a ‘layaway child’ (often called barrel children), growing up in St. Vincent and the Grenadines with her grandparents while her mother migrated to Montreal, Quebec (Canada) to set up a new life for her family, and travelling with her younger sister to reunite with their mother. The discussion delves into the themes of sacrifice, resilience, and the impact of colonial legacies, and the emotional complexities of family relationships once children migrate to reunite with their parents in a new country. Chanel weaves her own experiences into this collection of short stories, as well as those of people she has met. From colourism to the cultural silence in Caribbean families and seeming lack of emotion, to the importance of community and empathy in understanding the immigrant experience, she encourages open dialogue about the emotional toll of migration. Chanel Sutherland Born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Chanel Sutherland moved to Montreal, Quebec (Canada) when she was ten years old. She holds a BA in English Literature from Concordia University. Her first book, Layaway Child, is a collection of short stories exploring the Caribbean immigrant experience, especially those dealing with girlhood. She is the winner of the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, the 2022 CBC Short Story Prize, and the 2021 CBC Nonfiction Prize. In addition, she was awarded the 2022 Mariruth Sarsfield Mentorship, longlisted for the 2022 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, and shortlisted for the Max Margles Fiction Prize. Chanel was also included on the CBC Books 30 Writers to Watch list for 2022. Website [https://csuther.com/] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/csutherwrites/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/chanel.sutherland.7] Layaway Child is a luminous debut short story collection by award-winning writer Chanel Sutherland that explores the emotional landscapes of Caribbean families fractured by migration, especially the harrowing yet resilient journeys of Black girls and women. In lyrical, linked stories, Sutherland traces the lives of mothers working abroad as housekeepers and nannies, and the children they left behind. From lush island childhoods marked by absence and community to the cold, alienating spaces of Canadian cities, Layaway Child captures the complexity of growing up between worlds. A mother, newly arrived in Montreal, is kept from speaking to her daughters by her own mother’s misguided attempt to help her let go of home. A schoolgirl becomes a spectacle under the gaze of white classmates. A young girl’s curiosity about the cosmos collides with the confusion of puberty. Sutherland brings deep compassion and sharp insight to each moment, revealing both the beauty of island life and the harshness of immigration’s toll.

Book Talk: The Caribbean Cookbook with Rawlston Williams

In this episode Hema chats with Rawlston Williams, author of The Caribbean Cookbook, graduate of the French Culinary Institute, and he was the chef-owner of the award-winning Brooklyn restaurant The Food Sermon. He shares stories from his childhood growing up in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where his connection to food began. From cooking in the kitchen of his aunt Gloria to helping the neighbour handmake chocolate from cacao growing in her yard, and learning how to churn butter before moving to the United States to join his family. Rawlston shares a behind-the-sceens look at developing the cookbook and discusses how Caribbean food is rooted in scarcity, culture, and resourcefulness. This episode is a great companion piece to his debut cookbook from Phaidon, The Caribbean Cookbook. Connect with Rawlston Williams Rawlston Williams is a Caribbean chef with a deep passion and knowledge for his region’s food culture. Born in Kingstown in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, he has lived in New York since 1987. A graduate of the French Culinary Institute, for many years he was the chef-owner of the award-winning Brooklyn restaurant The Food Sermon, which focused on dishes inspired by Caribbean cuisine. Instagram I Am Rawlsto [https://www.instagram.com/iamrawlston/]n and The Food Sermon [https://www.instagram.com/thefoodsermon/] The Caribbean Cookbook [https://www.phaidon.com/en-ca/products/the-caribbean-cookbook] is an exploration of Caribbean cuisine and culinary history, featuring more than 380 authentic home cooking recipes from across the region. Rawlston Williams, with photographs by Nico Schinco Book Tour events [https://www.phaidon.com/en-ca/blogs/events] Resources Yan Can Cook [https://yancancook.com/]

Doubles: The Origin Story with Vinay Harrichan

The History of Doubles: Trinidad's Iconic Street Food Doubles is the quintessential Trinidadian street food, and often the dish that people most associate with Trinidad. In this episode, Hema chats with Vinay Harrichan, founder of The Cutlass Magazine, to talk about the origins of doubles, local lore and stories behind the dish, variations, and they each share their doubles order. It turns out that Hema’s order is what Vinay would describe as starter doubles, or what you would order for a small child! Vinay shares the etymology of bara and channa, and talks a bit about Bhojpuri and Hindustani words that have become part of the everyday language in Trinidad. About Vinay Harrichan Vinay Harrichan is the founder and curator of The Cutlass Magazine. Founded in August of 2020, it is a social media platform dedicated to the Indo-Caribbean community and descendants of Indian indentureship. TCM covers topics such as history, religion, politics, music, dance, and linguistics in the name of cultural preservation. You may follow The Cutlass Magazine [https://linktr.ee/cutlassmagazine] (@cutlassmagazine) on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/cutlassmagazine/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/cutlassmagazine], X/Twitter [https://x.com/cutlassmagazine], Threads, and TikTok. https://linktr.ee/cutlassmagazine [https://linktr.ee/cutlassmagazine] Resources Book: Out of the Doubles Kitchen by Badru Deen [https://www.amazon.ca/Out-Doubles-Kitchen-Trinidad-Tobago/dp/0615855369] Movie: Doubles with Slight Pepper [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1954395/] - Ian Harnarine [https://tisch.nyu.edu/about/directory/film-tvs/1191286449] Doubles Movie [https://www.doublesmovie.com/] NYT Cooking Doubles [https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1025187-doubles] This is Doubles IG [https://www.instagram.com/thisisdoubles/] Recipes Trini Cooking with Natasha - Doubles Masterclass [https://youtu.be/CmaplrlpH6Q?si=9xQCUbCkNGKShd5W] Taste of Trinbago with Reshmi [https://www.instagram.com/tasteoftrinbago/] Cooking with Ria - Doubles Recipe [https://cookingwithria.com/2018/12/how-to-make-trinidad-doubles-detailed-recipe-instructions/] Episodes Referenced Tobago History with Devonne Adanna [https://rss.com/podcasts/the-moreish-podcast-caribbeanhistory-culture-and-cuisine/2538535/]

The Virgin Islands of the United States: A Journey Through History and Identity with Stephanie Chalana Brown

Exploring the US Virgin Islands: History, Identity, and Cultural Shifts Stephanie Chalana Brown joined me to discuss the history of the Virgin Islands, a territory of the United States. Comprised of St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John plus smaller islets and cays, it’s often described as laid-back, with quaint towns, turquoise waters, a perfect vacation spot for sailing, divers, and sun-seekers. In this episode we go beyond that. From its indigenous Taino roots, colonial past with strong Danish influences, and present-day struggles, Chalana shares her personal insights into citizenship issues, her ancestral family history, and the importance of local scholarship, digital archives, and historical narratives. About Stephanie Chalana Brown Stephanie Chalana Brown is a Virgin Islands–based photographer, cultural thinker, and public intellectual whose work explores African diasporic history, place, and memory across the Caribbean. Her practice moves between photography, archival inquiry, and cultural interpretation. She documents everyday life, heritage spaces, and community rituals with an eye toward how history lives in bodies, streets, buildings, and shared traditions. Her work treats culture as a living record, something carried, practiced, and remembered rather than frozen in the past. Chalana’s interests sit at the intersection of African studies, Caribbean history, visual literacy, and public education. She is particularly engaged in how communities preserve memory outside of formal institutions, and how photography can function as both documentation and archive. Her work has appeared in exhibitions, publications, and national media, and she regularly contributes to conversations about heritage, representation, and cultural accountability in the Virgin Islands and the wider Black Atlantic world. She lives and works in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where she continues to photograph, research, and write in dialogue with place. Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/chalana_vi/] These islands were bought by the US. Now they have a message for Greenland. [https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/jan/24/these-islands-were-bought-by-us-now-they-have-a-me/] Resources Virgin Islands Taino Welcome Tribal Members from Caribbean [https://stthomassource.com/content/2022/11/25/virgin-islands-taino-welcome-tribal-members-from-caribbean/] The Danish National Archives [https://en.rigsarkivet.dk/] National Museum of Denmark [https://www.nationalmuseet.dk/] Society of Virgin Islands Historians [https://www.societyofvihistorians.org/] The 1733 Akwamu Insurrection [https://www.nps.gov/viis/learn/historyculture/the-1733-akwamu-insurrection.htm] Fireburn: The Uprising of 1878 [https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowledge/historical-themes/danish-colonies/the-danish-west-indies/fireburn/] The Fireburn Files [https://fireburnfiles.dk/] The St. Croix Educational Complex Drama Club [https://stthomassource.com/content/2025/09/26/scec-drama-club-to-bring-queen-mary-and-dem-to-life-at-fireburn-commemoration-oct-1/]

The History of Jerk in Jamaica with Alyssa Sperry Bertrand

Many foods come to mind when people think of Jamaica, and one most often associated with Jamaican cuisine is jerk chicken. In this episode Hema is joined by Alyssa Sperry Bertrand, a retired pastry chef turned academic and historian, to discuss the evolution of jerk, from traditional methods to modern interpretations. They explore the origins as a food preservation method, the influence of the Taino people, Maroons and African cultures, and pimento wood, the one must have for authentic jerk. Listen as we dive into the history and cultural significance of jerk in Jamaican cuisine, the must-have spices in its modern flavour profile, and the global influence of the dish. Episodes Referenced Caribbean Foodways with Dr. Candice Goucher [https://rss.com/podcasts/the-moreish-podcast-caribbeanhistory-culture-and-cuisine/2538524/] The connection between salt and spirituality with Alyssa Bertrand (Sperry) [https://rss.com/podcasts/the-moreish-podcast-caribbeanhistory-culture-and-cuisine/2553081/] Exploring Caribbean Heritage through food with Marie Mitchell [https://rss.com/podcasts/the-moreish-podcast-caribbeanhistory-culture-and-cuisine/2538512/] Belly Full Cookbook, Caribbean Food & Ingredients with Lesley Enston [https://rss.com/podcasts/the-moreish-podcast-caribbeanhistory-culture-and-cuisine/2538518/] Caribbean Culinary History with Keshia Sakarah [https://rss.com/podcasts/the-moreish-podcast-caribbeanhistory-culture-and-cuisine/2538530/] Resources and Links Friends of Jamaica https://servejamaica.org/ [https://servejamaica.org/] Eating Jamaica: How Food is Used as a Tool to Create and Reinforce Cultural Identity [https://worldhistoryconnected.press.uillinois.edu/18.1/pdfs/06_WHC_18_1_Sperry.pdf] What is moreish? | more· ish ˈmōrish | informal, of food, causing a desire for more Join us onTikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@themoreishpodcast],Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/themoreishpodcast/] andYouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0HFn8sqXLuNAkzjJjsekYQ] to continue the conversation. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!)https://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/jerk-sauce [https://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/jerk-sauce] 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.