The Moreish Podcast: Caribbean History, Culture, and Cuisine

Queeribbean In the final episode of Season 3, Hema and Shaharah Gaznabbi, a Toronto-based Indo-Caribbean theatre creator and drag performer, talk about the history, language, and cultural nuances of being queer in the Caribbean diaspora, how colonization has shaped attitudes towards queeribbean folks, and the evolving acceptance within communities and families. Shaharah shares their personal comin...

The role of the British Royals in the Transatlantic Slave Trade Dr. Brooke N. Newman discusses her book The Crown's Silence: The Hidden History of the British Monarchy and Slavery in the Americas in which she explores the British monarchy's involvement in slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. Spanning hundreds of years and drawing on thousands of pages of archival records, the book starts wit...

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 grand...

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 neighbo...

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 tha...

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 th...

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 Tai...

Dive into the history of Caribbean cookbooks with Keja Valens, author of Culinary Colonialism, Caribbean Cookbooks, and Recipes for National Independence . In this encore episode Keja Valens, Professor of English at Salem State University and author of 'Culinary Colonialism, Caribbean Cookbooks, and Recipes for National Independence' discusses creolization, early cookbook authors, and the cultural...

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...

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...

We'd love to hear from you! Exploring Caribbean Identity, Food, and Family Stories with Marie Mitchell Marie Mitchell, a chef, writer, and author of Kin: Caribbean Recipes for the Modern Kitchen joins Hema to talk about her Caribbean heritage and stories through the lens of her narrative cookbook,  that blends Caribbean history, culture, and cuisine.  Marie’s book shares an intimate look...

We'd love to hear from you! Understanding Reparations and Caribbean Justice with Brian Royce, Campaign Manager for The Repair Campaign Hema is joined by Brian Royes, Campaign Manager for The Repair Campaign, an organization that amplifies for the call for former colonial powers to acknowledge their role in the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans. They delve into CARICOM's 10-point plan...

We'd love to hear from you! The Indo-Caribbean Canadian Experience with Ryan Singh In the last full episode of 2025, Hema is joined by Ryan Singh, the Founder of the Indo-Caribbean Canadian Association (ICCA). They explore the nuances of Indo-Caribbean identity, the impact of colonial history, and the struggle for cultural recognition in Canada.  Ryan shares the origin story and mission of ICCA, v...

We'd love to hear from you! 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 comple...

We'd love to hear from you! Exploring the Untold Stories of Chinese-Caribbean Heritage  In this episode, storyteller and frequent guest Kesha Christie dives into the often-overlooked Chinese-Caribbean heritage, exploring folktales and oral histories that highlight the rich cultural fusion in the Caribbean.  Kesha talks about her research journey uncovering the often untold Chinese-Caribbean storie...

We'd love to hear from you! Caribbean Cuisine with Lesley Enston, author of Belly Full: Exploring Caribbean Cuisine Through 11 Fundamental Ingredients and Over 100 Recipes [A Cookbook] Join Hema and Lesley as they talk about Caribbean cuisine and history through the lens of Lesley's debut cookbook Belly Full , where she delves into Caribbean food through 11 fundamental ingredients. In this episode...

We'd love to hear from you! Exploring Bahamian History: From Indigenous Roots to Modern Identity In this episode, Hema and Sasha Wells, a PhD student in Caribbean History at Florida International University, delve into the rich history of The Bahamas. The discussion spans multiple eras, from the indigenous Lucayan people, the effects of European colonization, the cultural and racial dynamics influ...

We'd love to hear from you! We’re back with another Caribbean folktale, told by Kesha Christie. In this episode, Kesha shares an Indo-Caribbean folktale from Trinidad titled 'Kadoo Ki Beti' or 'The Pumpkin Daughter.' The story, which dates back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, revolves around Mama Savitri, an old woman who desperately wishes for a child. Through prayers and a magical pumpkin, he...

We'd love to hear from you! Guyanese Culinary Traditions  From Guyana’s six peoples to the impact of Guyana’s new wealth, and the national dish of pepperpot, Hema and Dr. Geoffrey Giddings discuss the ever-evolving foodways in Guyana.  Geoffrey, an expert in African American studies and a passionate advocate for Guyanese food culture, delves into the rich history of Guyana, known as the land of si...

We'd love to hear from you! 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...

We'd love to hear from you! 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, a...

We'd love to hear from you! 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,...

We'd love to hear from you! Exploring the Legacy of the Slave Voyages Database In the final episode of season two of The Moreish Podcast, Hema wraps up with an encore episode featuring Dr. Nafees M. Khan and historian Dr. Gregory O'Malley from the Slave Voyages Consortium. The conversation delves deep into the Slave Voyages database, a comprehensive online resource documenting the transatlantic an...

We'd love to hear from you! 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...

We'd love to hear from you! 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...