Hello and welcome back to Eight Years In. And if you’re new here, welcome! I hope you enjoy what you find and subscribe to the blog for more vegan content. Today, we’re wrapping up the “What’s Vegan in Ecuador” series with a statement: veganism has come to Ecuador. Now, what do I mean by that exactly? Read on to find out.
During my trip, I found it really quite easy to cobble together vegan meals from side dishes that were already available or by asking things to be modified a bit. Ecuador has a wonderful supply of fresh produce that comes from incredibly fertile land. And of course, thousands of years of knowledge passed down through generations. That being said, when it came to traditional main dishes, there weren’t a lot of options to be found.
This led my companions to believe that perhaps there just wasn’t the same level of a vegan scene that we have here in the US. For those of us who live in the US (but not LA or some equally impressive vegan utopia), this may seem like an interesting perspective. Since we too, are used to not being able to order the main dishes in restaurants. But I think we often forget how glamorous influencers make veganism look sometimes.
The vegan scene, as I see it
In my opinion, there are two aspects that make our vegan scene what it is: one, the influencers. They make veganism more accessible and attractive to the public and create a greater societal awareness of the lifestyle and the ethics of it.
The second aspect of the vegan scene is a little less concrete. That being said, I think it may be more important. I’m talking about the regular everyday people who make veganism doable for the Everyman. The people who are veganizing their favorite dishes that they grew up with. The ones that have their own struggles with health and/or life and doing the right thing. And while I can’t speak to Ecuadorian social media, I can say this. Veganism has come to Ecuador. And I was certain of this once I was made aware of Mamita Pastora and La Cuchara Orgánica.
The Woman
Mamita Pastora has 40 years of experience being vegetarian in Ecuador! She is a seasoned cook with a restaurant, as well as a teacher of classes on how to prepare plant-based foods.
She has become quite well-known in her own right, for preparing vegan versions of traditional Ecuadorian dishes, like Fanesca and Seco de Chivo. If you want more information about her endeavors, follow La Cuchara Orgánica’s Facebook page here.
My experience
When I went to Ecuador, Mamita Pastora is one of the most important things that our friends wanted to introduce me to. Having been vegan for a long time, I’m used to people connecting you to other plant-based people and topics because that’s the only other experience they’ve had with veganism. That being said, this was different.
As I flipped through the book Cocinando con Mamita Pastora, I couldn’t help but feel both impressed and very excited. First of all, here was somebody with much more experience in plant based eating than I have, which always fills me with excitement. But secondly, there was this sense of home. An intimacy of authentic cooking, a story about a real family. I especially enjoyed the little insights into their life, such as the experiences of living as a vegetarian amidst more traditional values.
It felt warm and real and complex. It was clear that a lot of love and thought goes into these recipes. And as you can imagine, I was quite eager to try them.
The Restaurant
And luckily, we did end up visiting La Cuchara Orgánica. Everyone who helped serve us there was incredibly friendly and helpful and I felt immediately at ease. Each of us ordered something different, in order to share everything and afterwards, our experiences of it all. And I have to say, we had a great time!
Once we were done with our food, we also checked out the store front that’s just through the front door (pictured below the title to this post). There, they had artisan products for sale alongside some plant-based staples. We found some delicious chocolate that I quickly and easily devoured. But no more stalling, let’s talk about the food!
Seco de no chivo
When it came to this plate, I had no idea what to expect. I’ve never had seco de chivo, or chivo (goat) for that matter. Luckily, I had people with me who have.
From me, I can say this stewed seitan dish was amazing! Flavors unlike anything I had ever tried before, with delicious vegetables and brown rice on the side.
From my companions, this dish tasted exactly like it was supposed to. The flavors were exactly what they were supposed to be, and the texture of the seitan was dead on. They even said that if they were eating it without looking, they would think it was the traditional seco de chivo, nonvegan! That’s the highest compliment a vegan dish can get from a nonvegan.
Plato Andino
This dish arrived on the biggest plate of the four, and was a smorgasbord of flavors. There was mote (a dish made of corn) with vegan salchicha (a ground sausage which in this case was made from textured vegetable protein), maduro (fried, ripe plantain), oyster mushrooms which were so flavorful I imagine they must have been marinated before they were fried.
This dish was probably the most familiar dish for me, and left me feeling very satisfied and impressed with both the balance of flavors and the simple but precise way the food was prepared.
Yahuarlocro
This was a delicious, creamy soup. Ours was made with rice milk. I love soup, and this one had a very distinctive taste. There where chunks of potatoes and vegan meat. It was the first thing we tried and absolutely a hit.
Jackfruit Sandwich
This sandwich came with avocado, a slaw and a jackfruit filling. Well-balanced spices, hearty bread. It also came with soft-cooked, herbed potatoes and extra avocado, tomato and lettuce. While it wasn’t as much of an adventure for me since it is common to see pulled jackfruit sandwiches in the US, it was enjoyable and also nice to see our friends trying jackfruit for the first time.
Jugo de Tomate de Arbol
This juice was thicker than I’m used to, but absolutely delicious. If you’re used to produce from the United States especially, any juice you try in Ecuador will impress you. But in this case, it was something a little extra. Not only was it fresh, but it also had no refined sugar in it. Talk about goodness!
Veganism has come to Ecuador!
Ultimately, I have to say, I was really impressed with La Cuchara Orgánica. While not all menu items were vegan, it was really nice to have a place to go where I could ask “what’s vegan” and have the staff reliably be able to tell me without a lot of extra work.
When I look at the story behind the restaurant and community of Mamita Pastora, my heart feels warm. I’m so glad to know that there is someone out there who knows the importance of a plant based diet, and is bringing traditional vegan dishes to the people of Ecuador. Because they truly deserve it!
I think that vegan community starts and ends with authentic individuals like Mamita Pastora, her family, and her staff. People who have a passion for veganism and plant based living. People who want to make real, familiar food, in healthier, kinder ways. It may seem tempting to think that places like Ecuador are “behind” in veganism. But from what I’ve seen in my travels, that’s really not the case.
Thank you so much!
I want to say a true thank you to Mamita Pastora for the work she’s doing, for the food we were served on our visit, for the classes she gives and the community she’s brought together. I hope her and her family continue to prosper and their food rises in popularity ad infinitum. And I will be sure to refer to her recipe book to make real, traditional Ecuadorian vegan food in the years to come.
And I want to thank you, too. Thank you for reading about my experiences with veganism in Ecuador. If you liked what I had to say, consider subscribing to the blog to get updates when a new post goes live, and if you know someone in Ecuador who is interested in veganism or a plant based diet, share this post with them or send them to La Cuchara Orgánica’s Facebook page. And if you’d like to hear more about the vegan food I tried in Ecuador, check out this post next. As usual, have an amazing day!