For around 50 years, the Cuéllar family has been making the renowned achira cake, which has a delicious flavor and sometimes even tends to be ‘addictive’, because the consumer tries one and wants to continue tasting it.
And given the importance of the Huilense achira cake, the Departmental Assembly of Huila promoted ordinance number 12 of 2022, “By which the day of the Huilense achira is institutionalized, in the department of Huila”, which must be carried out on the 20th. June of each year, with an activity of socioeconomic and cultural interest, articulated with the municipalities of the region, with the purpose of promoting the consumption of this delicious confection to make visible the work of the producers, processors, and marketers of this recognized product .
From generation to generation
In this sense, we spoke with Lina Piedad Trujillo, producer of this delicacy, who told the story about how the achira cake is made? “Eight years ago I took the direction of this beautiful work and our company ‘Bizcochería Superior ‘who is approximately 50 years old.’
The woman is now part of the third generation. “The one who started this business was my grandmother Luisa Rita Cuéllar, who managed to transmit this art to her daughter, Cleotilde Tovar Cuéllar, and due to her death, I continued with the factory.”
And taking into account the cultural legacy surrounding the production of achira cake in the department, the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce issued resolution 0023115, through which it protects this renowned Huilense confection with designation of origin, which has special characteristics achieved by different variables, where the raw materials, and the human factor that imprints their knowledge transmitted from generation to generation, are decisive to achieve a unique product.
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The preparation process
As for the manufacturing of the product, Lina gets up every day at 3:00 in the morning, prepares the materials and prepares to make them.
“The entire process of grinding the achira, mixing the ingredients, then assembling them, then roasting, toasting and finally packaging. We buy the achira here in the city, and the cake has curd, eggs, butter, and color,” said the businesswoman.
And when asked why she decided to continue with this work, the manufacturer indicated: “because achira is a flagship product of our region and thank God it has done well for us and our company has always been very, very recognized.”
The woman added that her product is quality, and she makes it purely artisanal, applying ancestral knowledge, inherited from Mrs. Luisa Rita Cuéllar.
And in relation to the price of the product, it costs $200 pesos each unit and it is advisable to consume it with the typical Cóndor soda, or a good coffee, or chocolate or a piece of curd.
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Producers meeting
Taking into account that this delicacy is typical of Huila, on June 20 of this year, the day of the achira opita was celebrated.
And due to the importance of the achira huilense cake, the Departmental Assembly of Huila promoted ordinance number 12 of 2022, “By which the day of the achira huilense is institutionalized, in the department of Huila”, which must be developed on June 20 of each year, with an activity of socioeconomic and cultural interest, articulated with the municipalities of the region, with the purpose of promoting the consumption of this delicious confection to make visible the work of the producers, processors, and marketers of this recognized product.
The objective of the initiative arises as an activity of social and cultural interest, articulated with the municipalities that promote the recognition of farmers and people who are dedicated to the production and marketing of this product in the region.
The Achira Huilense day had the participation of producers from Fortalecillas, Yaguará, San Agustín, Hobo, Campoalegre, Villavieja, Palermo, among others; who showed different processes when preparing their products. Allowing citizens the opportunity to live the unique experience in the manufacture of achira cake and the production of the largest product in Huila and Colombia.
The designation of origin
And taking into account the cultural legacy surrounding the production of achira cake in the department, the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce issued resolution 0023115, through which it protects this renowned Huilense confection with designation of origin, which has special characteristics achieved by different variables, where the raw materials, and the human factor that imprints their knowledge transmitted from generation to generation, are decisive to achieve a unique product.
It is noteworthy that the references to the preparation of this product, from achira starch, allow us to infer that it comes from the time of the conquest, when the Spanish learned about the plant, obtained at that time through rudimentary processes.
In this sense, the superintendency of industry and commerce, through resolution no. 87059 of 2017, protected the designation of origin “bizcocho de achira del Huila”, denying the registration of the mixed brand achiras altamireñas del Huila the authentic ones requested by industries alimenticias sojucar sas, for classes 30 and 35 of the nice international classification (flours and preparations, and advertising and marketing, respectively).
It is necessary to take into account that according to decision 486 of 2000, the designation of origin identifies the product coming from a specific geographical area, whose characteristics are linked to the natural conditions of said area and the effort of the community to preserve certain customs. that give differentiation and reputation to the product, which is why the delegation for industrial property in 2012 determined that the “achira del Huila sponge cake” meets the requirements to be protected as a designation of origin.
On the other hand, the office found that the products to be identified by both signs are the same, since with regard to the requested sign, the distinguished products are “achiras”, and in relation to the designation of origin, the product to be identified It is “achira cake”.
