Pine nut – kernel
The pine nut is the seed on the pine, but between all the varieties only the domestic produce pine nuts. The harvest of cones is made manually, then follow maturity by a sunny exposition so the cones can lives the pine nuts with their shells. The shelling is made mechanically. By 30-35 kg of cones we can produce ca. 1 kg of pine nuts kernel ready to use, this reason why they are so expensive. The biggest producer is China, but good producers we can found on the Mediterranean zone (Italy, Spain, Turkey). The European pine nuts are lighter; they contain less oil, tastier and most wanted than the Asian. The pine nut kernel contains much protein, therefore indicated like a possible substitute of animal protein.