Queen Cotacachi has a secret, and the best place to find out what it is, is Hacienda San Isidro.
For 30 years, Rosendo Jara has “prepared the forests” of his small family home at the foot of Cotacachi Volcano. He has created veritable microclimates, strengthening the land, recuperating ancient crops and managing the old farmhouse, where, with his wife Marcela, he has retired, and where he feels he has made the most of his golden years amidst the prodigious nature that, through his efforts, has become lush and fertile.
“I must say,” interjects ‘Chelita’, his wife: “there is really no time to age here; there is not even time to think about aging.”
“We are a family that receives other families,” explains Rosendo. That is how they make their dream of bringing this special corner of the Imbabura countryside to life for their guests. A secluded place, full of cosmic energy, full of stars at night, full of dew in the morning, with lots of green areas and nooks for children to explore, coupled with eclectic décor… a clear example of the curious lives their hosts have led.
They do everything themselves. They tend to the gardens, make conversation, cook. ‘Chela’ not only supervises cooking pots and pans by the stove, she decorates her dishes and takes them into the main dining room to serve her guests. And the dishes overflow with heritage ingredients in danger of disappearing forever: delicious salads made with ‘jícama’, ‘fries’ and patties made from ‘white carrots’, an unforgettable ‘oca’ dessert. In every ingredient, Mother Cotacachi lives on, and every crop is preserved with one hundred percent organic fertilizers.
So why, then, should Cotacachi be crying? This you will have to ask Rosendo. He will be happy to share with you her secrets.
Hacienda San Isidro de Iltaquí
Camino a Morochos, antigua vía a la Laguna de Cuicocha
Cotacachi, Imbabura
+(593 6) 2991 253 / +(593 9) 98836 0886
