MASTIHA

A unique plant of the Chian flora is "Mastic lentisk", a tree like a bush, obviously known since the ancient times and the name of the island itself may probably mean "mastic". Nowadays mastic is protected by the EEC and guaranteed by the programme for the protection of trade names (P.O.P.).

We can enjoy it in various forms: natural, as a chewing gum, in sweets and in drinks. Mastic Oil that is produced from mastic is dearly sought after and used in cookery and in pastries as a natural aroma. Also in varnishes, drinks and medicine. It has been proved that it's good for the teeth and gums, that's why a toothpaste, containing some of it, is produced locally. Athough mastic plants grow in many places on the island, it is systematically cultivated only in the South. The 21 Mastic Villages, as they are called, have each their own characteristics in architecture, speech patterns, traditions, costumes etc. Mastic is extracted in this way: small incisions are made on the trunk and the thicker branches of the plant (the "kentima", as it is locally called), from which the sweet-smelling mastic comes out in the form of crystal-clear resin drops. This "kentima" is done three times a year, from July to September.