Caribe: A Caribbean Cookbook with History
SynopsisPlot
Through years-long research including collaborations with historians and extensive travel to the islands, food writer and chef Keshia Sakarah explores the complicated and varied stories of each nation through its beloved dishes, addressing difficult truths while at the same time creating a joyful collection of the most celebrated recipes in the region to pay homage to those who created them, from Haitian Independence – Soup Joumou and Dominican Saltfish Accra Fritters, to Guyanese Pepperpot and Montserratian Fish Broth, passed on through generations. Including stunning location photography, essays and recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between, Caribe is the ultimate tome of Caribbean cooking.
Story
About this book
Caribe is a cookbook that covers the food traditions of the Caribbean as a whole region rather than focusing on a single island or country. Written by food writer and chef Keshia Sakarah, the book is the result of years of travel across the islands and collaboration with historians. Each chapter connects recipes to the specific histories of the places they come from, including the colonial past, migration, and cultural exchange that shaped what people eat today.
The recipes span breakfast through dinner and include dishes tied to particular national stories. Soup Joumou appears alongside the history of Haitian independence. Dominican Saltfish Accra Fritters, Guyanese Pepperpot, and Montserratian Fish Broth each carry their own context, with many recipes passed through generations within families and communities. Sakarah pairs these with essays and location photography from across the Caribbean.
The book treats difficult aspects of the region's past with directness rather than avoiding them. Slavery, colonialism, and forced displacement all figure into how Caribbean cuisines developed, and Sakarah addresses these connections alongside the recipes. The scope extends across multiple nations, languages, and island groups, reflecting how varied the Caribbean actually is.
