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
Just back from a trip to Ecuador and this is the only place I’ve found a recipe for Aji Criollo though I wonder whether I’m going to be able to find tree tomatoes in the Twin Cities! The hacienda in the highlands where I had the sauce gave me a sketchy recipe for this wonderful accompaniment that I ended up putting on just about everything I ate during my 2-day stay. Muchos gracias!
So glad to have stumbled across your blog! Can’t wait to try your recipes. You’ve really opened up a whole new world of flavours for me!
Hi From Miami, Fl Love your recipes, I made a few Ceviche’s and Chicken Chimichurri. They are easy and taste Great, my family enjoys them. Oh can’t forget about the Drinks to oo so good.
Thank,s
Hello today I bought 3 punnets of strawberries and when I got home I thought I won’t be able to eat all these! Apart from popping them in my champagne bubbles. So I looked online for a strawberry recipes and your strawberry cake came up. So I am baking it now. I will also check out a few more of your recipes and let my family and friends know about you in sunny Australia. Congratulations on the site, good for you.
Hi- I have been checking in on your blog since last year, but only recently “subscribed.” Your recipes look great, but your photography is fabulous! We visit, from the east coast, Seattle for 2-4 weeks every summer visiting my in laws in Seattle and San Juan. I love the food and climate and can see how you are inspired. Nice job with making the blog so pretty and interesting! Hard to do both with kids. My husband calls it Food Porn. Yup. Sign me up.
See you at Uwajimaya!
Best- Rebecca
Layla,
Greetings from the Florida Keys! Love your blog! Will be trying some of your recipes.
Hi, Laylita…My wife (from Loja) and I are big fans of your site. We spend a lot of time in Vilcabamba (at Le Rendevous) and I thought I would share a discovery I made recently.
When we are in Ecuador, I love to have Huevos a la Copa for breakfast each morning. Our family’s maid knows how to cook the soft boiled eggs perfectly and she’s an expert at getting the eggs out of the shell and into a cup without pieces of eggshell in the eggs. I’ve tried repeatedly and I just can’t do this without wasting half the egg and/or eating a lot little pieces of shell.
So, here’s my discovery. I take a ramekin that will hold two raw eggs. I spray the ramekin with Pam, crack two fresh eggs into the ramekin. I then place the egg-filled ramekin into the top of a steamer pan with cold water in the bottom part. I put the lid on and turn on the stove to the highest setting. I set the stove timer for 14 minutes. At the end of 14 minutes, I remove the ramekin with a large spoon, sprinkle with salt and pepper and I have the most delicious Huevos a la Copa I’ve ever tasted. Believe it or not, even better than what the maids do in Ecuador!!!
And it’s so easy!!!
I’ve also learned that after the Huevos a la Copa are made, you can easily steam hard boiled eggs by immediately adding eggs (with the shell on) to the hot steamer basket and steam them over medium/low heat for 20 minutes. Steaming make the hard cooked eggs easier to peel.
P.S. You and your brother Ramon used to play with our daughters Jen and Kirsten at your home in Vilcabama during one of our visits to Ecuador!!! Jen lives in Portland, OR now with her husband Jon. They are fans of your site as well.
Hello Layla,
Nice to meet you and your family. First, Congrats, on your website, love your recipes, sound delicious, can’t wait to try them. Wish you lots and lots success. Oh, by the way, I have a granddaughter named Laila. Thank you for sharing.
Sincerely,
Mimi
Hello from Mexicali, Mexico, I want to thank you cause I feel I want to start cooking again, my problem is that I have to cook for myself only and is not fun but with your recepies I want to taste all your plates recepies, specially the Chiplote cream and the dulce de leche ice cream, those two are my favorite, thanks again
Hi Laylita
I was referred by a friend to your site. WoW! Love your recipes! I just now subscribed via email.
Congratulations for your cooking art! I also enjoy to cook. Tell me when you cookbook is ready. Thanks.
Don Miguel,
La Paz, Bolivia