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
This is by far one of the best food blogs I have ever seen, and I highly recommend that you publish a book. I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Thank you and keep it coming!
-Renee
P.S. Is there any way to subscribe to your blog?
Hola
Soy nuevo en este blog, dejame felicitarte primero por la linda familia que posees y segundo por la extraordinaria idea de realizar una web con recetas de la grandiosa comida ecuatoriana, he aprendido a realizar unos platos que a mi familia les ha encantado, en lo particular me encanta la cocina, espero poder colaborar enviandote recetas para que las puedas publicar luego, me gustarÃa saber donde enviartelas.
nuevamente GRACIAS por hacer sentir a los ecuatorianos residentes en otros paÃses, que su patria los quiere y a los que aún estamos en Ecuador, saber que existen personas como tú que les das aliento, aunque sea en la cocina.
Yaco
Guayaquil – Ecuador
Felicitaciones, esta web esta genial un amigo mÃo le envió unas cuantas recetas más, espera haber podido ayudar a incrementar las recetas que posee, y mis felicitaciones muy sinceras, pues en lo particular me ha enseñado a cocinar.
Jack Guayaquil – Ecuador
In Ecuador we say that each person adds their own “sazon” – literally means seasoning – to a recipe, but it also means that you add a little of yourself to the recipe, and of course within a family it is common for a mother and daughter to have a similar “sazon” that they add to their cooking. One of the “challenges” of posting an Ecuadorian recipe with precise quantities and ingredients is that we usually don’t cook like that, an Ecuadorian style recipe is: “add some of this, some of that, cook it, add some more of X” and then each person adjusts it based on their “sazon” and “gusto”. So, use my recipes as a base and feel free to make adjustments based on your “sazon”.
Laylita,
I love your website. It is soooo easy to understand and the pictures help so much. By the way, you have nice photography. My father is from Ecuador and so my Mom, who is from El Salvador, picked up many Ecuadorian recipes from my grandmother that I grew up on as a child. Like you mention, there are so many ways and styles to prepare the different Ecuadorian dishes. Typical dishes like seco de pollo, I learned differently to make. Of course these were recipes passed on from generation to generation and somewhere in the passing, I am sure the recipes changes with each persons unique touch. I am so excited about your recipes and I am going to start adding some of the ingredients that you mention which my Mother never used in many typical recipes. I will surprise her with a better taste to her own recipes.
Thanks a million and keep on posting please!!!
You have a beautiful family.
Jill
I LOVE your website!!! I freaked out when I saw all the recipies that you had posted! I was born and raised in Ecuador and there really is nothing like Ecuadorian food. I went back this past July for the first time after 4 years and I COULD NOT get enough of the food there.
Thanks for working on these recipies and posting them!
Cuidate
Chao
Ely
I just wanted to say that I just stumbled upon your site and it is fantastic! I was an Rotary International Exchange student in 1976-77 in Puerto Viejo, and there were a few recipes here that brought back some wonderful memories. I really had to get used to the cheese and goat milk when I lived there, but the fresh fruit was awesome and most of the dishes were spectacular. While I was there, I think we only used the oven once and that was when I made a breaded chicken. A walk down memory lane.
Que bueno!
Kerry
Awesome site – I never realised you were Seattle based. I am from England, and now reside in Seattle, with a food blog.
Great food on your site – really great food.
Cheers!
Matt
Hi Layla,
I live in the UK and stumbled across your site when searching for new and exciting recipes to go into a local magazine that I put together. Its a new publication and very local to my area 15,000 copies to local homes and features local news etc – each month I like to put in a few recipes, but am always on the look out for food that is different and interesting. I would love to feature some of your recipes and pictures – and would be more than happy to credit them with your website if you would agree?
I love the way you write your recipes and I think it is very appealing to your average person, I am always scared by recipe books that are formal and boring and think my readers would love your ideas.
I eagerly await your response,
Kindest Regards
Sally
Hi Claire, Thank you for your comment, I am anxiously waiting for the summer to get fresh corn and make humitas! I will let you know as soon as I post the recipe.