DistantNews
Support us
Mamita Otilia's tortillas: 72 years of tradition in Tumbaco
🇪🇨 Ecuador /Culture & Society

Mamita Otilia's tortillas: 72 years of tradition in Tumbaco

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Mamita Otilia has been serving traditional potato tortillas and chicha de jora in Tumbaco for 72 years.
  • The 90-year-old owner, Otilia Moreno, continues to cook despite illness, driven by a love for her craft and a need to work.
  • Her small eatery is considered a gastronomic emblem and heritage of the Tumbaco rural parish near Quito.

In Tumbaco, a rural parish of Quito, Ecuador, Mamita Otilia's restaurant has been a culinary landmark for 72 years. The establishment is renowned for its traditional potato tortillas and chicha de jora, dishes that have cemented its status as a gastronomic emblem of the region.

If I don't work... I don't have.

— Otilia MorenoMamita Otilia explains her motivation for continuing to cook despite her age and recent illness.

At over 90 years old, Otilia Moreno, affectionately known as 'Mamita Otilia,' embodies a deep passion for her work. Even after a recent illness, she quickly returned to preparing her beloved dishes, which delight both locals and visitors. Her dedication stems from a fundamental belief: "If I don't work... I don't have." Cooking for others is not just a livelihood but a source of purpose and vitality.

it is an honor to receive you in my little house.

— Otilia MorenoMamita Otilia expresses her hospitality towards customers.

Moreno arrived in Tumbaco over 73 years ago from her native Loja. She began making tortillas after marrying Andrés Tuza, who worked in the nearby hills and brought her potatoes. By 1954, her small eatery, initially with few neighbors, began attracting a crowd. She recalls needing help due to the growing number of customers.

I was piled with people and I even had to get a girl to help me.

— Otilia MorenoMamita Otilia recalls the early days of her restaurant when it became popular.

Her journey as a migrant in Tumbaco was marked by a desire to remain active and combat loneliness. "What could I do all alone here?" she reflects. Though she still grieves for her late husband, she found purpose in her work. She continues to use her original light blue tray, heating tortillas over charcoal embers, a process that gives the llapingachos their characteristic color. The chicha, a fermented corn beverage, is also a staple of her traditional offerings.

What could I do all alone here?

— Otilia MorenoMamita Otilia reflects on her experience as a migrant and the need for purpose.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog