Author: Mirian Montalvo

I'm Mirian Montalvo. Since I was 18 years old with two children, I began my journey cooking and baking to sell. The recipes came from Hogar magazine, which was very popular at the time. I would make them for my family first, taste them, remove or add ingredients, and adjust them until I liked them enough to sell.

I started seriously by making Swiss rolls, which people called brazos gitanos, but they were actually sponge rolls filled with dulce de leche, whipped cream, and strawberries. I made them cold, and they sold very well frozen as ice cream cakes.

Later I began making flavored cakes such as orange, chocolate, and black cake, which is very important for weddings and baptisms in Ecuador.

I did this for years, and eventually there were many orders from friends with businesses and for large parties. I took short courses in Arabic appetizers, international cuisine, and Christmas dinners. During the holiday season we prepared Christmas meals for companies.

I say “we” because my children helped me, along with a little friend named Vilma, who truly assisted me with everything.

Later we opened a bakery called Delicias Dulces y Saladas (“Sweet and Savory Delights”). We made lasagna to sell, our famous paisanito sandwich, hamburgers with a recipe nobody would believe, but we sold a lot, along with pies, bread, yogurt, and a famous yogurt drink in Ecuador called Chivería.

After that, I was hired by the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE), where I had two wonderful assistants whom I will never forget. They were the hardest-working people I had ever known.

We prepared breakfasts and lunches for 80, 100, or even 120 people depending on the day. It was beautiful work.

Later I decided to move to the United States, and here I have done smaller things such as fondant cakes and cake pops, but only a little. I have a page called The Zert where there are some examples of the work I used to do.

Now, seeing my son Kity’s skills more closely, he has become a pastry chef. He is very active in the pastry world.

And here I am, at 62 years old, trying to make videos for all of you before I forget everything I have in my head, so I can share it with you