Nagasakibana Seed Oils
Nagasakibana is known for its sprawling fields of canola flowers (nanohana) as well as sunflowers (himawari), and the seeds of both are harvested to create a range of edible oils. The canola flowers bloom during the spring, while the sunflowers bloom in the summer. All the flowers are grown without the use of pesticides, and the canola flower is a purely domestic strain called the nanashikibu.
The Nagasakibana oils are produced without using solvents to extract the seed oil, and they are free of any additives or chemicals. The seeds are processed and the oils are extracted using traditional methods of roasting and pressing. The seeds are first roasted in a pot at a carefully controlled temperature, then pressed to extract the unprocessed oil, and then washed in hot water to remove dirt and other impurities. The oil is then strained through Japanese washi paper before being bottled. Nothing goes to waste during this process as the residual materials are used as fertilizer for gardening and feed for livestock. A variety of locally produced, additive-free oils suited to enhance the flavors of food and cooking are available for sample and purchase at the restaurant and shop located on Nagasakibana.