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Trust is good.
PGI is better.The Guarantee.
The history of pumpkin seed oil is young: the cultivation of pumpkin varieties used today first spread throughout Styria between 1870-1880 and until the 1970s pumpkin seed oil was only known in the Southern Styria region within Austria. It was only in the 1980s that the triumph of the "green gold" began – and therewith, the efforts to ensure the quality of this unique and valuable delicacy.
In order to protect regional specialties against unfair imitation, the EU has created status protection systems. "Styrian pumpkin seed oil" is protected geographically by the EU and must bear the name Styrian pumpkin seed oil PGI* (= Protected Geographical Indication) and is organized within producer cooperative "Styrian pumpkin seed oil PGI". Since 2006, the territorial protection region has also been enshrined as a gourmet region; a strict control system from field to retail point of sale thereby ensures that production and processing take place within Austria. And only strictly controlled manufacturers will be allowed to use the coveted white-green seal with the control number.
* german: g.g.A. = geschützte geografische Angabe
Quality Green on White: The seal for the Kürbisgut Ölinger Michl.
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The fruits of
hard labourThe pumpkin.
Both the cultivation and harvesting of pumpkins need a lot of experience and care - we have centuries worth of both. Basically, the cultivation is carried out in early May, for which we use only the best seeds: organic seed of the variety Gleisdorfer GL Classic Bio with the control number AT-BIO-301, which we sow at a density of about 18,000 seeds per hectare.
After 14 days, the first leaf tips are already visible sprouting from the ground. In early June you can already see the first squash blossoms shining brightly. This is the signal for the bees, who at this point start to pollinate the flowers. Then at the end of October the harvest of the large, fleshy fruits begins. And just as no year of sunny days, temperatures and rainfall can be completely similar to any other, so the harvests are also unique - each vintage of our oil therefore has its own special character.
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Ölinger Michl’s recipe for success
The recipe.
The removed pumpkin seeds are dried and then ground in a mill. In order to gain the oil from the dry flour, the ground seeds are stirred up with water and salt in the roasting pan into a kind of dough. This is then constantly stirred until the water has evaporated completely. This roasting is necessary to separate the protein from the oil contained in the seeds. Subsequently, the flour cake is cold pressed. One of the secrets of the success of our pumpkin seed oil can be found here - we do not use conventional water but Grander® water and instead of conventional cooking salt only high-quality Himalayan salt. This gives our oil a very special flavor - pure nature, to which we literally have nothing to add, not even on the label: All of our oils carry only one letter on the label: the classic pumpkin seed oil, for example, carries only the letter "K". A symbol of pure, unadulterated quality.
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Pumpkin seed oil
has many sides.What does pumpkin seed oil go with?
In the kitchen, the pumpkin seed oil has large variety of applications, for example with lettuce, beef, aspic, soups, Styrian scrambled eggs or desserts (ice cream). However, since it should not be heated, it is neither for cooking nor for frying or deep-frying.
moreWhat distinguishes pumpkin seed oil from "salad oil"?
Salad oil is generally a mixture of about 10-20 percent pumpkin seed oil (usually from the second pressing) and white canola or sunflower oil. The white oil is usually refined. Therefore salad oil is much cheaper than 100 percent pure pumpkin seed oil, but also not nearly so high-quality and savory as genuine pumpkin seed oil. The world of Kürbisgut Ölinger Michl is in any case a different one – try it and see for yourself. The difference in taste could not be greater.
moreHow do I roast pumpkin seeds?
It really only takes a few minutes, but requires a bit of finesse. Distribute the natural pumpkin seeds evenly on a baking tray and roast the seeds under high heat or on the grill level in the oven. Stirring several times is important! Once the seeds begin to swell and crackle, they're done.
You should always make sure that the seeds are not over-roasted, because they taste bitter and smokey. Once done roasting, you can finish them to your taste – add salt, chop or grind the pumpkin seeds as needed. By the way: In our 0.5 liter bottle there are about 5,600 roasted seeds.
moreHow do I recognise quality pumpkin seed oil?
The quality of pumpkin seed oil is determined by its color, taste and smell. Good pumpkin seed oil has a deep dark green color and when toplit on a white plate it should appear shimmering green. It must not look brown under any circumstances. The unique nutty flavor and the pure smell of aromatic pumpkin seed also point to a high quality product. The consistency of the oil may change depending on the temperature, but should generally be rather viscous. Our classic "K" has all these features and will convince you forever. Try it and enjoy it drop by drop.
moreHow many seeds can be found in 1 liter of pumpkin seed oil from Ölinger Michl?
Around 11,300 seeds are necessary to produce 1L of our pumpkin seed oil. Or in other words: 2.5kg worth of pumpkin seeds from 30-40 pumpkins from our fields. One of our pumpkins contains on average only 150 grams of wet seeds which can be made use of; during the gentle drying process our pumpkin seeds lose half their weight. But the taste is incomparably better. Quality always comes before quantity.
moreHow healthy is pumpkin seed oil?
Due to the fact that pumpkin seeds contain selenium and vitamin E, their oil has an antioxidant effect and can protect the body against free radicals. The high proportion of linoleic acid and phytosterols is said to have a cholesterol-lowering effect. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is used in conjunction with therapy against rheumatoid arthritis. The high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids has a vasodilatory effect and can lower blood pressure, in this way, helping to prevent cardiovascular weaknesses and bladder troubles.
In cosmetics, pumpkin seed oil has often found use as a carrier oil, as it contains many active ingredients such as vitamins A, E and carotenoids. These have good skincare properties and would otherwise need to be added to cosmetic products in other ways. This oil should help treating dry skin, wrinkles, skin aging, stretch marks and chapped or scaly skin.
moreHow do you get pumpkin seed oil spots out of clothing?
A tip from Ölinger Michl: hang the garment before washing in the blazing sunlight. It is important to do this before washing, as you will see the green stain disappear as if by magic. Thereafter you can wash the article of clothing as usual.
moreHow do I store pumpkin seed oil from Ölinger Michl?
The open pumpkin seed oil bottle should not be stored above room temperature and needs a dark place away from sunlight. Storing the bottle in the refrigerator is helpful but not essential; however, the oil keeps much longer in the refrigerator. We prefer to place it next to the salt and pepper on the table; here it certainly won’t last as long!
moreAre pumpkin seeds allergen-free?
Yes, natural pumpkin seeds, roasted / salted pumpkin seeds, grated and chopped pumpkin seeds do not contain allergens. For nut allergy sufferers, they are a perfect replacement! Refined pumpkin seeds like pumpkin seeds coated in chocolate or pumpkin seeds in wasabi can contain allergens depending on the variety. You should always check the label.
moreHow do I recognize genuine Styrian pumpkin seeds?
Genuine Styrian pumpkin seeds can be recognized by their very dark green color and their large size. There are other pumpkin seeds of international origin on the market, but the flavor is less intense, they are much smaller and much lighter. In bakery products one can usually easily distinguish whether the pumpkin seeds are genuinely Styrian or not: basically, the lighter and smaller the pumpkin seeds are, the more likely it is that they are not from the original cultivation area.
Picture: our organic seeds, shelled and unshelled
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Life is a
long, quiet stream
in Styria.The story of the Kürbisgut Ölinger Michl starts early, namely in the 14th century: The Chronicles report that in a medieval village in the Styrian town of Hartberg the farm "Ring 9" has stood since these times. It is situated on a stream, whose flowing waters were perfect for the work of mills - and so began, among other things, the cultivation of pumpkins and the pressing of the seeds on the farm to produce pumpkin seed oil.
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News
wieder prämiert
Die Kerne für die neue Aussaat…
