Food is powerful. It brings us together, teaches us about culture, tells historical tales, and serves as the focal point for so much of our social lives. Karen and Nyana, the mother-daughter duo, co-owners, and founders of Camella's Kitchen understand this power. Through the freshest sauces, cakes, and spice blends, they continue a family tradition of food entrepreneurialism through their business, founded in 2019. As they noted during our interview, "cooking is in our blood." Camella, the brand's namesake and Nyana's grandmother (Karen's mother) had a cottage food business in Trinidad and passed her food knowledge down to Karen. In turn, Karen shares that knowledge with her daughter, Nyana, and us through Camella's Kitchen.
In this interview, Nyana and Karen's interview dive into intuitive cooking, owning a business as women of color, bootstrapping, sustainability, and "pivoting" during COVID. They also drop a bit of knowledge about staple dishes of Trinidadian cuisine for those of us (like myself) who are still learning about Trinidadian and Caribbean foods.
Want to shop Camella's Kitchen? Check out their online store.
Interested to learn more about how to use their products? See Nyana and Karen's posts from the kitchen for recipes. Alternately, try my Herb Roasted Chicken Recipe using Camella's Island Herb Blend or get some creative ideas for using Camella's Mango Pepper Sauce!
To learn more about the DC area community-supported agriculture (CSA) program noted in the interview, check out Three Part Harmony Farm.
To try the DMV area Caribbean food restaurants recommended during the interview, check out Kingston Arbor in Hyattsville or Cane on H Street in DC.
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