My name is Layla Pujol, my family and friends call me Laylita. I was born in Vilcabamba, Ecuador and currently live in Luxembourg. I spent several years in the US, both in Austin and in Seattle, and our family recently moved to Europe. My recipes are inspired mainly by traditional Ecuadorian dishes that I grew up eating in Ecuador. However, my love of food – and therefore the recipes posted here – go beyond Ecuador and include anything from Latin America, my mom’s spicy New Mexican cooking, my grandmother’s homemade Southwestern dishes and Texas style BBQ, my husband’s (and his family’s) delicious French food, new dishes introduced by my amazing group of international friends, and of course the great variety of seafood, vegetables and fruits available in the Pacific Northwest.
I am currently working on my first cookbook, which will focus on delicious Ecuadorian recipes (adapted to my style, of course!).
The longer version of my story
My approach to cooking and general instructions for using this site
Additional contact information
Photo and content use
Recipe development, product reviews, disclosure, and advertising
Privacy policy
If you have any questions or comments you can leave them in the comment section, or you can email me directly layla at laylita dot com
Sorry Layla,
I just read through the top portion of your introduction and found the answer to my question. I am definitely going to try the cheese empanada recipe really soon. It sounds like heaven to me, with my addiction to all things fried! Thanks again.
junecutie
Hi Laylita,
I just stumbled upon your blog, and I am already in love with your recipes and your style of writing. I am really looking forward to seeing many more examples of both. By the way, what is the name of the dish that is on the far left side of your blog header? It looks like a yummy fried dish like batter fried eggplant, maybe. I love, love, love fried things, even though it’s not exactly health food, but life is too short to avoid eating yummy foods. Anyway, that’s what I tell myself. Thanks.
junecutie
Hola nena, genial tu sitio, gracias por las recetas hermosas. mi nombre es itzel, vivi 20 años en vancouver, canada, i came back to latin america 5 years ago, and have found my love for food to become an obsession, i just finished my studies to become a pastry chef in buenos aires, next week i have my exames!!! all based on french and europa cooking. and i bumped into your site, it is so refreshing to see recipes from all over latin america. we spend so much time looking at how others cook and forget we can cook! thanks for the beautiful reminder. mucha mierda con tu proyecto! suerte desde buenos aires.
Itzel.
Hey Laylita, estaba leyendo tu biografia y te cuento vivo al otro lado del agua de Seattle!mis hermanas me recomendaron tu website, yo nunca cocino comida ecuatoriana (aunque soy bien guayaca), pero hice los yapingachos y quedaron sucu. Congrats!
Layla,
I just came across your site and I love it. I’m American, but my wife is Venezuelan and we also live in Seattle. I absolutely love Latin American food and I’m always striving to make more and more. Your recipes have just given me a lot more inspiration.
Gracias!
Ryan
Hi Laylita,
I just have to say, your website is beautiful. The photography is gorgeous. I lived in Ecuador for a few years and married a Quiteño who lived here in USA, I actually met him when I we were 10 years old in Sydney, Australia (where I am from). His half brother is married to my mothers sister so I think it was destiny !!!
Anyway, I found your site by accident tonight when I was ‘googling” a recipe for tostada. We are going home to Australia after the US summer and will definitely be using your website back home in Sydney. I also sent it to my brother in Sydney who is a Chef, he also lived in Ecuador for a few years and loves to show his aussie friends the cuisine from Ecuador.
Do you have a cookbook? I would buy it in a snap!
thank you
Patti
Your recipes are fantastic. I have a colombian husband, and brother in law from Quito…so the food is all too familiar to me. Aunque soy americana, I love South American food. Please keep the recipes coming! I love the step by step photos, and pictures of the finished product. Even though I may not post a comment on everything I have tried, I do visit your page often and look for new things :) Gracias por la pagina!
Laylita,
My fiance is Peruvian and while I enjoy the food she prepares I’m sending her to this website to learn how to cook a few Ecuadorean dishes. I am first generation American, parents are from Portoviejo and Milagro, and I love Ecuadorean food!!
Thanks so much!!
Fabricio Bermeo
Laylita,
You rock! Thanks for putting Ecuadorian food on the map! Just got back from Ecuador from spending to beautiful weeks there. Atacames, Quito, Baños, Ambato, etc. Que hermoso!
Estamos en contacto!
Veronica
Nashville, TN
Hi Laylita, I’m writing from Sydney, Australia and i’m hoping you can post a recipie for espumilla. I was born Ambato and one the best memories of my childhood is enjoying this dessert in the streets of my former hometowm. Hope you can help. Gracias Maidee