Hellobee Boards

@Tanjowen: I have no advice, but way to make lemonade from lemons!

@Tanjowen: Now I'm curious what your husband does for a living

I lived in Ecuador for 3 year + my husband is Ecuadorean, so I'll jump in there! Most of the things I can think of wouldn't travel well, but there are a few things that would work, I think. It also depends on where he will be as the stuff you find on the coast would be different from the stuff more inland. He should definitely look for Encocado (a sweet coconut/caramel candy) or Bocaditos (similar, but has nuts). It's usually sold in bulk, but should easily last if bought towards the end of the trip and stored in a ziplock. I would DEFINITELY get some Horchata--an herbal tea made with a mix of herbs and flowers, which makes it bright pink. It is delicious hot or cold, slightly sweetened with a squeeze of lime. We go to Ecuador every two years and that's the one thing I always make sure to bring home. You can either get it in tea bags or a big bag of loose herbs at any market--look for the Sangay brand. Depending on the time of year, he should also look for Colada Morada--it is a sweet purple corn drink served warm. It is more typical around late October/early November. You can find the powdered mix in any market.

Not food related, but if he is in the highlands he should look for textiles! They are beautifully made and relatively inexpensive--I have a couple of hammocks and they are super comfy and very pretty-similar to the pic below.