Mely Martínez started her blog, Mexico in My Kitchen, in 2008 for her teenage son, hoping that someday he will use it to recreate the Mexican food his mom made for the family. Mely was born and raised in the city of Tampico, Tamaulipas, and started helping in the kitchen at a very young age, since she was the oldest daughter of eight children. She and her siblings spent summers at her grandmother's farm in the state of Veracruz, where part of the daily activities included helping to grind corn for making masa and gathering firewood for the woodburning stove. At the age of twenty, Mely moved to southern Mexico, where she worked as a teacher. This job gave her the opportunity to travel to all the states in the Yucatán Peninsula, and enjoy their excellent and unique cuisine. Throughout the years, she lived in other states in Mexico, and has traveled to most of them. By now, she had moved more than twenty times! Mely enjoys cooking classic meals that are eaten every day in Mexico, and sharing them with her followers around the world. Her recipes are created from knowledge gained throughout her studies, travels, and life experiences. She lives in Dallas, Texas.
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"Mely's great work has no comparison. With this second book, she confirms her passion and generosity for sharing the Mexican cuisine outside of Mexico with research of the highest quality. Furthermore, this book positions her as one of the foremost Mexican gastronomic researchers outside of Mexico, who undoubtedly leaves a valuable culinary legacy for the next generations."

--Edgar Salgado, Director of the School of Mexican Gastronomy (Escuela de Gastronomía Mexicana/ESGAMEX), Mexico City

"I'm a longtime fan of Mely's work. I adore that her recipes are written for those new to Mexican cooking--including the younger generations of Mexicans who may not be adept at making chilaquiles or cactus salad. But her recipes are also enticing for chefs like me, because they are full of care and love, clearly crafted by a joyful cook and naturally gifted teacher. Mely Martinez is for real."

--Roberto Santibañez, cookbook author, chef, and owner of Fonda in New York City