Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen: Gaby Melian

Author: Silvie August 14, 2022 2 Comments

I’m happy to share that America’s Test Kitchen Kids, the most trusted cooking brand for kids, has launched Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen – an innovative new cookbook by author and celebrity chef, Gaby Melian. Keep reading to find out more about it.

Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen: 70 Kid-Tested and Kid-Approved Recipes for Young Chefs

My boys and I have really enjoyed this fun cookbook. The recipes are easy to follow and the ones we’ve tried are delicious! Even my youngest who can be a little picky when it comes to trying new food has loved the recipes we’ve made. We also really like that each recipe tells you which country it’s from.

Like all America’s Test Kitchen Kids cookbooks, the recipes in Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen were tested and approved by a group of over 15,000 kid testers, so each dish is guaranteed to set young chefs up for success.

Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen combines America’s Test Kitchen Kids’ rigorous recipe testing method with Gaby’s expansive culinary background and fun, inviting style to create an inspiring new resource for young chefs around the country. Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen invites kids to travel the world of Latin America with 70 recipes,  incorporating Gaby’s take on dishes from across the region like completos chilenos (Chilean hot dogs),  Cuban ropa vieja (shredded beef stew), Argentinian empanadas de pollo (chicken turnovers) and more.

Growing up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Chef Gaby Melian began cooking at just eight years old. From crimping empanadas with her family to enjoying her grandmother’s “la pizza rapida,” Gaby has always had a passion for cooking and teaching others how to develop confidence in the kitchen. Once she moved to the United States, Gaby’s interest in food grew into a career and she climbed the culinary ladder, from selling empanadas as a street food vendor to becoming a test kitchen manager with more than 20 years of industry experience. Now adding cookbook author to the list, Gaby goes back to her roots with Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen, which features recipes and anecdotes from Gaby’s childhood through her many travels and experiences. 

Aligning with America’s Test Kitchen Kids’ mission to build a new generation of empowered cooks and engaged eaters, Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen fosters an appreciation of Latin cuisines and offers young chefs a hands-on experience creating recipes from other cultures. The new title is divided into six chapters: desayuno (breakfast), almuerzo (lunch), meriendas y bebidas (snacks and drinks), cena  (dinner), guarniciones y salsas (sides and sauces) and postre (dessert). From cheesy arepas to sprinkle-covered chocolate brigadeiros, each recipe includes the country of origin, recipe history, and tips right from Gaby’s own kitchen. Spanish language phrases and cooking terms are also translated throughout the book and highlighted in an educational Spanish glossary.

Gaby’s Latin American Kitchen is available on Amazon and from your favorite bookseller.

About the Book

Celebrity Chef Gaby Melian brings you into her kitchen to teach the best recipes she’s learned from all over Latin America. From desayuno (breakfast) to cena (dinner), merienda (snacks) to postre (dessert), your young chef will be a pro in no time. 

¡En sus marcas, listos… fuera! Ready, set, cook!

Have you ever tried empanadas? Made cheesy arepas for your family? Or shared homemade, sprinkle-covered chocolate brigadeiros with your friends? Travel the world of Latin America with 70 recipes developed and written by Gaby Melian—all kid-tested and kid-approved by America’s Test Kitchen Kids’ panel of over 15,000 at-home kid recipe testers. A Spanish glossary, fun personal stories, and a peek into Gaby’s own kitchen make this book a delicious win for all young chefs and their families! Kids can cook from breakfast to dessert with recipes such as:

• Arepas con Queso: These Colombian-style round corn cakes are cooked on the stovetop, then stuffed with gouda cheese that melts and gets gooey after a few minutes in the oven.

• Ensalada de Frutas: This fruit salad is the solution to hot summer days. Add orange juice, water, and ice to the fruit, stir gently to combine, and serve with plenty of juice spooned on top of each serving—the juicier the better!

• Panqueques con Dulce de Leche: A distant cousin to French crepes, these panqueques are just as delicious, and a bit more forgiving—make them as thick or as thin as you like, with a lot of browning. After cooking, they’re filled with luscious, sweet dulce de leche.

• Empanadas de Pollo: Empanadas are a delicious labor of love. To make them simpler to prepare, this version uses store-bought hojaldradas-style empanada dough rounds and rotisserie chicken.

About the Author

Gaby Melian is a professional chef with almost twenty years of industry experience and a lifetime of personal knowledge about food and all its many wonderful flavors. She shares her deep love of food and vast kitchen know-how across multiple food media outlets. Her life in food has led her to many roles, including street vendor, culinary instructor, official Food Revolution ambassador, Bon Appétit test kitchen manager, cooking video host—and who knows what’s next! Gaby completed her culinary training at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City with degrees in Culinary Management, Culinary Arts, and Pastry Arts. Find her on Instagram.

Editor: America’s Test Kitchen has been teaching home cooks how to be successful in the kitchen for 25 years. The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Kids is to build a new generation of empowered cooks, engaged eaters, and curious experimenters. ATK Kids’ kid-tested, kid-approved recipes and hands-on STEAM activities inspire families to spend quality time together in the kitchen, and a lifetime of cooking. Learn more at www.americastestkitchen.com/kids.

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