Motherland is a cookbook that charts the history of the people, influences and ingredients that uniquely united to create the wonderful patchwork cuisine that is Jamaican food today. There are recipes for the classics, like saltfish fritters, curry goat and patties, as well as Melissa's own twists and family favourites, such as:Oxtail nuggets with pepper sauce mayoGinger beer prawnsSmoky aubergine rundownSticky rum and tamarind wingsGrapefruit cassava cakeGuinness punch pie.

Running through the recipes are essays charting the origins and evolution of Jamaica's famous dishes, from the contribution of indigenous Jamaicans, the Redware and Taino peoples; the impact of the Spanish and British colonisation; the inspiration and cooking techniques brought from West and Central Africa by enslaved men and women; and the influence of Indian and Chinese indentured workers who came to the island. Motherland does not shy away from the brutality of the colonial periods, but takes us on a journey through more than 500 years of history to give context to the beloved island and its cuisine.