Loja Foodways

Loja

Regional

The far southern highlands, drier and closer to Peru, with a food identity of its own: REPE, the green-banana-and-cheese soup; CECINA, salt-cured pork; tamal lojano; miel con quesillo; the coffee of Vilcabamba and Puyango; and HORCHATA LOJANA — not the Spanish or Mexican horchata at all but a deep red infusion of a dozen or more flowers and herbs, sold by bunch in the market and drunk hot. ⚠ SAME NAME, ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DRINK.