The island is best known for its aromatic mastic, a unique product that has gained global recognition through proper promotion. Many villages thrive off the cultivation of this spice. Chios is also renowned for its citrus fruits, primarily grown in the Kampos region. Other local offerings include butter, cheese, citrus fruits, ouzo with local anise, aromatic liqueurs, high-quality wines, Chiot pastries, and pasteli.
Fresh fish from Chios is guaranteed to whet your appetite. When visiting the island, don’t hesitate to bring home local products from quaint shops.
Mastic, one of Greece’s most exquisite and rare products, is a protected designation of origin (PDO) exclusive to Chios. Produced only in the so-called Mastic Villages on the southern side of the island, mastic is a natural aromatic resin extracted from the mastic tree. Producers make superficial cuts into the trunk and branches, allowing the resin to seep out. After a few days in the heat and dryness, this “precious tear” solidifies and is collected and cleaned. Harvesting occurs from July to October.
In addition to mastic, you’ll find mastic oil, believed to have antimicrobial properties. Try the ELMA chewing gum produced by the Chios Mastic Producers Association and other mastic-based products at Mastihashop.
Info: Mastihashop, Mastic Museum Pyrgi, Rahi Site (Tepeki), Chios, Tel. 0030 22710 72927, 36 Aegean Ave., Chios, Tel. 0030 22710 81600
Ouzo
In addition to mastic, Chios is also renowned for its aromatic sweet anise. The island’s ouzo, with its long history and intoxicating taste, owes its fame to this ingredient. Sample the Kazanisto Stoupaki, Apalarina, and the ouzos produced by Tetteris Distillery. Most of these are family-run businesses that also produce mastic-based spirits. You can find ouzos and spirits in all the liquor stores and supermarkets on the island.
Info: Ouzo Stoupaki, Dafnonas, Chios, Tel. 0030 22710 77333, Apalarina, Afon Ralli 3, Chios, Tel. 0030 22710 22328, Tetteris Distillery, Tallaros, Chios, Tel. 0030 22710 22006.
Citrus Fruits
The Chios Mandarin, a product with a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), has been cultivated on the island for decades. It is considered sweeter, more aromatic, and ideal for juicing. The cultivation of citrus fruits across the island has earned Chios the epithet of “Fragrant.” The orchards in the Kampos region are the most famous, and it is here that the “Kampos Chios” juices are produced, which can be found all over Greece and are exported abroad. The “Citrus” company also produces citrus-based products; their jams and traditional Chiot almond-flavored mandarin treats are especially delicious. The company even hosts a small museum on their Kampos estate dedicated to the cultivation of citrus fruits on the island.
Info: Kampos – Chios Juices, Kampos, Chios, Tel. 0030 22710 20771, Citrus, Argenti 9-11, Kampos, Chios, Tel. 0030 22710 31513
Mastelo
Many people think that the term “mastelo” refers to a type of cheese. In reality, it is the commercial name of the soft cheese first made in 1994 by cheesemaker Konstantinos Toumazos in Chios. The word mastelo is of Venetian origin and refers to the wooden vat used for collecting milk. This soft cheese is made from cow’s milk and has a slightly salty taste. It is ideal for use in saganaki, grilled, or fried. The company also produces goat’s milk mastelo and smoked mastelo.
Info: Mastelo, Kampos, Chios, Tel. 0030 22710 33011
Chios Handmade Pasta
This is how pasta was made by housewives before the arrival of industrial pasta: by hand, using a small reed to create a hole in the center, which was then removed. In a few homes, these handmade pasta are still made using this traditional method, providing a rich taste and making them ideal for use with sauces due to their shape. You can find them at the workshop of handmade and traditional pasta, “Smaragda’s Handmade Pasta”.
Info: Smaragda’s Handmade Pasta, Sgouta 6, Chios, Tel. 0030 22710 95773
Recipe for Chiot handmade macaroni from Greekgastronomy.gr
Giorgos Pittas, on greekgastronomyguide.gr, recalls his encounter with two sisters from Chios who allowed him to observe the entire ritual of their pasta-making process. Moreover, as he notes, he participated in the kneading and shaping and tasted the joy of their creation even before trying the pasta itself.
Ingredients for the dough:
1 kg flour
1/4 kg semolina
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tablespoon salt
Thin reed sticks
Instructions:
-In a large bowl, mix the flour, semolina, oil, and salt.
-Add lukewarm water and knead until the dough becomes firm.
-Shape the dough into several equally-sized small balls.
-Take a long reed stick and begin rubbing the dough around the reed with both of your palms.
-When the pasta is shaped, remove the reed, and the pasta will have a hole in the center.
-Spread the pasta out to dry for a little while, and by the next day, it will be ready to cook.
Read also:
A Fascinating Foray Around The Capital of Chios Island
