hey there!
Welcome to my blog
Alica's Pepperpot is a food blog dedicated to preserving my culinary culture through recipes and stories. I started this blog in 2010 to capture and share the beautiful Guyanese cooking I learned from my family at a very young age. Here, you'll find both traditional and modernized recipes that celebrate the multiethnic cuisine of Guyana and the Caribbean.
I'm an Indo-Caribbean-American woman originally from New York City. I grew up in Queens, NY, which I call home. My family is from Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America. Growing up, I spent a lot of time helping my mom prepare traditional foods for our family, as we did not eat out very often. Home-cooked food was always what united us; the glue that held us together. After graduating college, I moved away from home and quickly realized how much I missed my mom's presence in the kitchen.
During graduate school, I started a blog documenting her recipes. I felt we needed a space online where people who wanted to learn how to cook the food their parents made but needed measurements, could be inspired and encouraged to make those nostalgic foods using my family's recipes as a guideline. What started as a hobby has now become a seemingly full-time career for me. Currently, I reside in sunny Florida with my husband and two sons.
Professional Background
I attended St. John's University in Queens, NY, where I graduated with a B.A. in English. I am also a graduate of the University of Rochester Simon School of Business, where I earned an M.S. in Market Research. My previous careers include client management at a food advertising agency, pharmaceutical sales, and consumer insights/marketing. When I had my eldest son 10 years ago, I decided to become a work-at-home mom shifting my career to food media.
About the blog name
"Alica's Pepperpot" symbolizes that something exciting is cooking. The name holds a dual meaning: it refers to Pepperpot, Guyana's national dish, creating a connection to my Guyanese heritage.
How to use this site:
I recommend using these recipes as a guide, customizing them to suit your tastes. Alternatively, you can follow the recipe exactly until you master the dish's method. We all have different preferences for seasonings and ingredients. My ultimate goal is to encourage and inspire you to connect with the flavors of the Caribbean, no matter which method you choose.