Use

The use as an ingredient for pesto is well known. They are a suitable substitute for Italian pine nuts when it comes to preparing the famous pesto alla genovese. Nibbled biscuits with cedar kernels taste particularly spicy. They taste good in salads and raw food preparations, refine spreads and are a spicy ingredient for pasta and rice dishes. In mueslis and nutty party mixtures, our organic cedar kernels are something very special.

Production

Organic cedar kernels from Siberia are the counterpart to pine nuts from the Mediterranean region. They are harvested from the evergreen Siberian stone pine, also called Siberian cedar (bot. Pinus sibirica). The resistant and undemanding tree grows up to 40 m high. It is absolutely frost resistant, an age of several hundred years is not uncommon.

This tree also makes hardly any demands on the ground. It can cope with oxygen-poor, compacted soils as well as with gravel and dry subsoil. The Siberian stone pine even thrives in moors. Only a few species of fungi, such as the root sponge, cause problems for the tree. This can lead to harvest fluctuations or even to losses.

The Siberian stone pine is closely related to the Italian pine. This relationship is found not least in the seeds, which are very similar both in appearance and in taste. Pure cultivation plantations of the Swiss stone pine are however rare in Siberia. The cedar nuts are often harvested from widely scattered trees and brought to collection points.

Origin

Our organic cedar kernels come from trees that grow in their original region, the Siberian region. They have one thing in common with their Italian relatives, the pine nuts, and other nuts: they are rich in high-quality plant substances, fats, minerals and vitamins. The vegetable protein of our organic cedar kernels is particularly well absorbed by the human organism. Their fat content is around 60 g per 100 g of cedar kernels. The content of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron makes a valuable contribution to a healthy diet. The vitamin E contained in the cedar kernels is an antioxidant that can counteract cell ageing. Cedar nut oil is used for aromatizing, like cedar kernels it is also considered to stimulate the metabolism and support the function of muscles and nerves.

Sustainability

The wood of this stone pine is sold under the name Siberian pine. It is used as tonewood, parts that cannot be used for this purpose are used for pulp production. The Siberian stone pine is very popular as a windbreak when planting wood strips, as it is also used for harvesting cedar nuts. The kernels are harvested for direct consumption; they also play a minor role in the preparation of edible oil. Siberian stone pine is threatened with extinction in some areas. Commercial cultivation, although pure forests and plantations are still the exception, counteracts this.

Harvest

Cedar kernels are still mainly harvested by seasonal workers. The cedar pins are collected, and some of the cedar nuts are already picked up on site. Sometimes the cones are collected in sacks, transported to the resting place and cored there. Once all the nuts have been removed from the cones, they are laid out in barns to dry. The seeds are then mechanically removed from their extremely hard shell. Organic cedar nuts are sifted and we only purchase first-class goods from our dealers.

Flavor

Delicately melting with a mild yet spicy resinous taste, organic cedar kernels are finding more and more lovers.

Yield

The yield of cedar kernels can hardly be compared with that of other nuts and kernels. Harvesting and processing are laborious. The cones are often collected by hand and the cedar nuts are taken out by hand. Broken and brown nuts are sifted out.

Special feature

In the botanical sense, cedar kernels are not kernels, but seeds.