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De olie van pompoenzaden is populair in Oostenrijk!
Pompoenen kweken doen ze hier al zo`n 100 jaar; en wel een hele speciale soort.
Lees verder.(in het engels)

In Oostenrijk vindt je ze op postzegels en munten.
Er is zelfs een pompoenfestival oa met uitgesneden pompoenen.

Postzegel 1999 uitgegeven ter ere van het pompoenfestival.

In the fertile rolling countryside of eastern Austria and adjacent Slovenia, Yugoslavia, and Hungary, a unique cultivar of pumpkin has been grown for at least 100 years.
It is called the naked-seeded, hull-less, or Styrian pumpkin] and is characterized by having a thin membranous seed coat (testa) rather than the lignified seed coat of conventional pumpkin seeds.
Therefore, the entire seed is edible and easily crushed to extract the prized edible oil.

With advantages come disadvantages.
Without the tough protective seed coat, the "naked" seeds are easily broken, have a shorter viable period, and are prone to poor germination,thus making seed saving more challenging.
In recent years, milder winters in Europe have resulted in the increased spread of diseases, particularly zucchini yellow mosaic virus, in the pumpkin fields. There is a great need for the protection of this plant from viruses, so that it can make its full contribution to human nutrition and health.

The seed is often roasted before being pressed for its high oil content.
The oil is viscous, dark green to slightly reddish with a unique robust nut-like flavor.
It takes almost 2½ kilograms of seeds.-five pumpkins worth-to produce one liter of oil.

The process to obtain this oil is complicated and delicate, making the oil a higher priced item, but it is worth its price provided the quality and the purity of the oil is guaranteed.
A special process re-uses the seed paste after the first "virgin" pressing to extract the remnants with another oil by resoaking the pulp in this "extractor oil".
Often even heat is applied to obtain higher yields. Such oils are much cheaper, since they contain only a fraction of the original oils properties.
They are - or should be - properly labeled as "cuts" or re-pressed fractions =containing Pumpkin Seed Oil; and have their use only in culinary ventures for their still distinctive nutty flavor.

A one-hectare field may yield 9,000 or more fruits.
In Styria, kürbiskernöl (pumpkin seed oil,) is as popular as olive oil in the nearby Mediterranean region.
About 70 commercial oil mills are operating in the region. These play a major economic role and help maintain the family owned and operated farm structure.
Herbicide and pesticide use is kept to a minimum.

The oil is used in salads and drizzled on soups and pasta but may not be used for frying due to its low burning point.
Worldwide, the hull-less seeded pumpkin is also gaining in popularity as a convenient and nutritious tastysnack seed.
In addition to its culinary use, the naked-seeded pumpkin is used medicinally.
The highly unsaturated oil is reputed to boost the immune system and prevent prostate cancer.

The amount of beneficial ingredients in the Styrian pumpkin seeds is significantly higher than in any other variety.

At present, pumpkin seed oil is rarely mentioned in surveys of vegetable oils and in studies on the economic uses of pumpkins.
Only in the last few years has the oil become available in countries outside of Central and Eastern Europe.
Breeding programs are being conducted in North America, New Zealand, and Europe. Improvements in the crops protection and marketing will help increase its economic value.

(Kijk in artikel Pompoenen 2 voor bijzonderheden over de pompoen zelf.Klik hier!.)

Misschien zelfs een goed cadeauidee voor iemand die culinair geinteresseert of georienteerd is.
Neem een flesje mee uit Oostenrijk, of een paar meer.:)
Niet goedkoop!

CWS14-11-2002
29_4_2010

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