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
I recently got back from a wedding in Quito, Ecuador. I spent a week and a half there and came to love the food! I am so excited to find your website as I have been craving some of the food that I was eating there! Thanks for sharing your story and recipes!
I’m so glad I found your site! My parents are both Ecuadorian and now that I live on my own, I love being able to recreate dishes in my own home to share with my fiance and with friends. I’ve turned many a picky American onto some of my Ecuadorian favorites thanks to you site. Gracias!!!
Dearest Laylita..
Muchas gracias for this website.. I am an American Mexican Ecuadorian. My father is the Ecuadorian and well growing up I always had my Mexican culture close.. Here in california it is jz 2 hr from Mexico. So growing up I always wanted to experience my Ecuadorian side. With your website I am learning how to make the best foods ever.since I have been to Ecuador only 1 time in my life I am hopeing for the tastes I remember to come out some what close… Thank u so much and I hope to learn more from u in the near feature.. Oh p.s. How can I make TIGRILLO?
I am so happy that you have this website, I am from ambato Ecuador but have lived in California since elementry, I love to eat ecuadorian dishes but I have a long way to go till I can cook them with perfection because when I ask for ingredients or how it’s done my family says alitle of this and that and just pay attention as I cook it we don’t belief in measuring, lol but your website is perfect
This is the best website EVER!!! I am married to an Ecuadorian who misses the food more than anything else since we have moved to Canada. With your help, I have been able to learn how to cook some of the traditional dishes that he loves. I am honestly indebted to you FOREVER. Now just to figure out how to get some of the sunshine to Cananda!
Laylita,
I have lived, and am moving back in September, in Quito. I love the recipes you have posted!! I love being able to share Ecuadorian food with my family, who otherwise would not have tasted it! I have a friend from Cartagena, Colombia who loves Arroz de Coco. Would you by any chance have a recipe for this dish? Thank you!
Rachel
Hi Rachel – It’s been a while since I’ve had Arroz con Coco, I will find a good recipe when I go to beach here in Ecuador.
Wonderful website (enough said)!! ;-)
Hi Laylita!!!
Love the website. I am also from Ecuador (Guayaquil) and I wanted to make some empanadas de viento and came across your website! It is really helpful and easy to follow and understand. I also live in the Seattle area, and sometimes I don’t even know how certain ingredients are named in English. I appreciate you taking the time to explain the dishes and its ingredients. I have a 20 month old daughter and she loves Ecuadorian food, and I am not the best cook myself, but with your recipes, I will def try some of these things I grew up with for her.
Estimada Laylita,
fantastic! You made a wonderful website, collected the best ecuadorian dishes ever, recipe descriptions are simple to follow and the fotos are great.
I lived a couple of years in Ecuador and miss this time a lot. I found there my second home, my second family and very good friends.
Food is reunioning people and ecuadorian one makes me feel alive again.
Thanks for sharing it with us!
Cuidense mucho!
Saludos,
Claudia de alemania
thank you laylita for such a wonderful work. I am a guayaquileno living in massachusetts and I enjoy reading about all the foods i grew up with. My mother has made seveal dishes using your recipes in the spanish version and they turned sabrosisimos. I agree that street food is great in ecuador. i remember this lady had a basket with empanadas de pollo that had a sweet flavor inside (raisins, maybe olives, maybe a sweet bread stuffing). During thanksgiving my mother cooks turkey with relleno which has little pieces of chicken (i think some have chicken liver but i don’t like that), wine, i think a little ham, olives, and raisins. I am just so in love with ecuadorian food and this site is my connection to that wonderful part of our culture. Thank you.