A few weeks ago, after I shared a photo of my mother and me cooking together, Melissa reached out to tell me how much she misses her mom.
Melissa lives in Seattle while her mother lives in Ecuador, so they often spend holidays apart. The season makes the distance feel sharper, but Melissa transforms that longing by cooking the sweets she grew up with and sharing them with others.
Around Christmas and New Year’s she prepares festive Ecuadorian pastries, and she kindly agreed to share one of her favorites with us. She sent a recipe for pristinos — a simple, crown-shaped deep-fried pastry — and after trying it once, we sat down for a conversation that felt like catching up with an old friend. Enjoy!
Highlights
- Celebrating Christmas and New Year’s in Ecuador
- Moving from the U.S. to Ecuador at nine years old
- Carefree childhood moments chewing sugarcane
- Learning about sugar processing
- Finding joy in living with less
- Making pristinos in a brick-oven studio
- Tips for frying to get a light, crispy texture
- Competing in bartending contests
- The power of a smile
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Ecuadorian Pristiños for Christmas & New Year’s
Pristiños are traditional fried dough pastries often dusted with powdered sugar or dipped in a sugarcane syrup. They are light and airy, with a crisp exterior and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth interior. Each bite brings a balance of sweetness and texture that evokes holiday gatherings and family memories. These pastries are simple to make and perfect for sharing during the festive season.
- Pristiños & Syrup: Traditional Ecuadorian Christmas Pastries
More Guests with Central/South American Heritage
- 165 Recipes for Nurturing Joy with Deborah Johnson
- Christmas in Ecuador with Sofia Alarcon
- Brazilian Carrot Cake, German Chocolate, and Italian Art with B Santos
- One in 6 Million Refugees: A Venezuelan Story
More Central/South American Recipes
- Lebanese-Mexican Lamb Chops with Roasted Cauliflower
- Hank Shaw’s Favorite Tacos From Mexican American Chef Patricio Wise
- Moist Brazilian Carrot Cake with Chocolate Marbling
- Sopa de Ajo: Healing Garlic Green Soup for a Cold
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