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Chios is a blessed island. Its fertile ground combined with the mediterranean climate enable the cultivation of many, different, high – quality products.

Chios Mastiha

Chios Mastiha

Chios natural mastiha or Chios gum mastic is a worldwide unique product, produced only on Chios island and more specifically, only in the south of the island. It is the natural resin that comes from the mastiha tree (skinos), with multiple uses in nutrition - liqueurs, sweets, cooking-, pharmacology, cosmetic and aromatic products.

Its miraculous beneficial properties are known since antiquity. It is antibacterial, helps mouth hygiene and strengthens the gums, can cure stomach ulcers and helps in treating cholesterol problems. Recent scientific research has also proved that mastic has anticancer properties.

Before leaving Chios, you can choose among a variety of products with mastiha, according to your needs and taste.

Natural chios mastiha, but also chicklets, candies, ouzo, liqueur, mastiha sweets, cosmetics, perfumes, aromatic natural soaps and candles, all with the sweet smelling fragrance and the miraculous healing properties of mastiha.

Citrus Fruits

Citrus Fruits

Chios is also known as the fragrant island, because of the intense cultivation of citrus fruits. Especially in the evergreen area of Kampos there are fragrant orchards with tangerines, sweet and bitter oranges, lemons and citrus fruits. Chios tangerine is a product of Protected Geographical Indication (P.G.I), characterized by its intense fragrance and unique taste.

In the past, Chios citrus fruits were sold abroad by the piece, as a luxury item. Apart from the aromatic citrus fruits, you can enjoy excellent juices and soft drinks, but also the famous fruit preserves and spoon sweets, like sweet and sour orange, lemon flower, lemon. These are sweets made from the skin of the fruit, cooked in sweet sirup.

Chios Ouzo

Chios Ouzo

The Chios ouzo played a predominant role in social life. It was introduced to the table ritual as a welcome, greeting and appetizer drink. It is a customary accompaniment for seafood and fish. Chios is abundant in spices and aromatic herbs, which help to produce a light and smooth ouzo, based on the classic anise and fennel in a background of coriander as well as the unique mastic, depending on the recipe. Clearly distinct from the local raki, called ‘souma’, which is produced from figs, the Chios ouzo is still distilled largely in small copper stills of traditional family firms. The Chios ouzo is produced by local family - run distilleries on the island that continue the tradition for many years.

Sweet Preserves

Sweet Preserves

A great variety of fruit sweet preserves is produced on Chios, from grapes and figs, to almonds, pistachio, quince, sour cherries, and citrus fruits (orange, bergamot and bitter orange). Sweet preserves traditionally served as a means to preserve the fruit as long as possible and have them available even at periods beyond their time of harvest.  Chios island is also known for the production of sweet preserves from flowers, namely, lemon tree blossoms and rose petals from a certain type of rose that blooms in May.

It is customary to offer a sweet preserve as a dessert. In recent years, it is also popular to serve rose or sour cherry preserve with yoghurt.

Another sweet preserve intertwined with local tradition is mastic sweet, made from Chios mastiha and sugar. It is called “submarine” because a spoonful of the sweet is served submerged in a glass of cool water. In recent years, moer creative versions of this classic sweet can be found, such as “submarine” with lemon aroma.

You can try all the above tastes produced on Chios island by local family run businesses.

Wine

Wine "Ariousios Oinos"

A famous and remarkable Chios product is wine. According to the historian Theopompos, Oinopeon, the son of God Dionysus, taught the people of Chios how to plant and cultivate vineyards and how to produce wine. The high quality wine produced here in the ancient times was known as “Ariousios Oinos”.

The ships would transport and trade it in amphorae all over the known world. It was also famous during the roman and byzantine years.

Recently the production of Ariousios Oinos has been revived thanks to investments in wine making especially in northern Chios.

(Source: Spanos, Grigoris, Ariousios Oinos, the wine of Chios, Ariousios S.A., Chios, 2007)

Chios Beer

Chios Beer

Chios Beer is a fresh, unpasteurized beer. It is produced In the area of Kampos of Chios, from fine varieties of malt and hop. It is brewed and matured in small batches, without preservatives.

It has a rich fruity taste, with the aroma of hop and citrus fruits. It is being bottled unpasteurised preserving thus the richness of taste and best enjoyed in maximum three months after production.

Dairy products

Dairy products

Soft Cheese of Chios is a traditional island cheese. It is made of full fat cow or goat milk that is produced locally. This cheese is not excessively salty, and it is ideal for creative fried or grilled cheese dishes.

It may also be consumed in salads or uncooked on its own. Typically produced in circular molds of approximately 900 g.

Chios soft white cheese is available in local grocery stores and supermarkets. It is also served as a local dish in most restaurants and taverns in the island.

Honey

Honey

The Chian honey is considered among the best in the world because of the very rich and rare flora that is typical of the island.  

Three types of honey are mainly produced in Chios: The flower honey with a distinctive flavor and aroma of citrus fruit, the pine honey that is also known for its wonderful aroma, and the brighter and thicker thyme honey. The distinctive honey of Chios, but also honey with mastiha flavor can be found in all the grocery stores.

Aromatic herbs

Aromatic herbs

Chios island has great botanical interest, as it offers a great variety of rare endemic aromatic herbs and wildflowers. Because of the dry mild climate of the island and its geographical position, it is a meeting point for flora of Europe and Asia, with a variety of aromatic herbs of exquisite aromas.

In recent years, the production of organic aromatic herbs has become standarized. You can find aromatic herbs which can be used in cooking, such as oregano, thyme and spearmint, but also as beverages, such as camomile and sage, or in body hygiene and pharmaceutics, such as hypericum and lavender.

Edible olives, “Chios throuba”

Edible olives, “Chios throuba”

This type of edible Chios olive is known as “Chios throuba”  and has been recognized as a Product of Designated Origin (PDO). These edible olives are also known as “kourmades” in Chios island. They are collected from the tree while still fair coloured, but they become brown or black when they are put in salted water to get the bitterness out. They are usually shrunk and you can find them with or without salt.

The throuba of Chios is characteristic for its full taste and the unique aroma of “skinos” (mastiha tree), as the leaves of the mastiha tree are used to flavor it. You can find Chios throuba olives at the local grocery shops.

Souma

Souma

Souma is the traditional spirit of Chios, distilled from figs, something like tsipouro. The figs, which are abundant on Chios island, are harvested in August and laid out to dry in the sun. Dried figs are then put in barrels with water and yeast. The disitallation process takes place in the autumn, after special permits are issued, and the souma copper stills start operating.

From end October to early Decemver the distillation process takes place, which is not only a productive process but also social event.Often during the distillation, friends will gather and pass the time with local meze and music.

Every producer follows their own recipe, adding other fruits and spices to the figs, such as anise and mastiha. The basic difference is that anise and mastiha are mostly used in the villages of the south, but not so much by producers in the north of Chios.

Αμυγδαλοβούτυρο & Φυστικοβούτυρο

Peanut & Almond Butter

Nuts are generally very popular in Chios, and you will find a lot of specialised shops offering them in the market. Following the trend of recent years, many small family run businesses produce high quality peanu and almond butters, which are also appropriate for vegetarian and vegan diets.

Nutritious and delicious they are energy boosters and contribute to a well balanced diet. In local shops you can find a selection of classic and more creative combinations of various nut butters.

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