Arriving in Chios by boat, one sees at first a dry and rocky land. Then we land in a city full of traffic jams and without apparent charm. We are almost disappointed. But it is little by little, village after village, beach after beach, that we discover this island full of colors, scents and history. Discover Chios and its specialties:
Putty, one of the specialties of Chios
Of course, it is the ” Putty ” which made the reputation of the island. This tear of resin of a pistachio mastic long selected by man has also earned him many invasions, wars and massacres and covetousness. Shortly after his arrival on the Caribbean in 1492, Christopher Columbus tried to plant some on the islands without success. At that time the Genoese, masters of the island of Chios and of the mastic monopoly, earned 30,000 gold ducats per year from its exploitation.
The putty fits into of multiple compositions: from chewing-gum intended formerly to perfume the breath of the women in all the harems of the East with the the Ottoman sultans were very fond of, and the kaïmaki” ice cream with Istanbul buns, called “tsoureki politiko”, from desserts, alcoholic drinks (ouzo or liquor) to face creams and even toothpastes.
Creative Commons Attribution- CC BY-SA 3.0 – Archives and personal garden
By Ellie Βarmpagiannis [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
By INRA DIST from France [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Candied fruits from the Kambos region
Crossing the Kambos, the plain around the capital, one can see behind the high walls fragrant citrus orchards surrounding splendid residences. It is here that the aristocratic families of the island built their houses, already since the 14ème century. It is from Kambos that the fruits with which the famous candied fruitsthe liqueurs with citrus fruits. Sweet and bitter oranges, tangerines, bergamots… Local agricultural cooperatives also offer artisanal fruit juices made with the fruits of the plain.
Dried tomatoes: beautiful and good
Continuing in the southwest direction, we cross fields of olive trees and mastic. And then we approach the “mastihohoria”, the villages of the mastic. If the fortified village of MestaThis is the most impressive of all the beautifully restored buildings. A Pyrgi we are also under the spell. The walls of the houses are decorated with black and white geometric designs, the “xysta”, and bunches of tomatoes hang from the balconies.
These delicious little tomatoes of a drought-resistant variety were introduced to Chios in the early 19thth century century. Stored in bunches, the tomatoes dry without rotting and can be eaten all year round. The last tomatoes of the season are picked green, floured and fried.
It is an excellent mezze that goes perfectly with the very good ouzo flavored with anise or mastic made on the island. It seems that it was the inhabitants of Chios who ran the ouzo and liquor bars in Istanbul. Today, seven local brands continue the tradition that dates back to the Byzantine era.
Souma : the fig alcohol, speciality of Chios
More rare but just as typical is the fig alcohol, called “souma”. You can find them during the “panigyria” (the patronal feasts) at the street vendors called “pastelades” who sell almond and honey sweets. Not to be missed!
The Mastélo : goat cheese
In Chios the land is rather dry and arid. Livestock and dairy products are rare. However, some excellent cheeses are produced, mainly made from goat’s milk, the most famous of which is the “mastelo”. Mild and fragrant, this cheese is often eaten grilled on the barbecue.
A bit of fresh pasta
Another original specialty is the handmade pasta: the dough is spread along a broom branch to create a hole in the center. Then they are left to dry and cooked like fresh pasta.
The fruits of the sea…
The inhabitants of Chios are very famous sailors, cunning and excellent traders, and they have managed to take advantage of the resources of their island and the sea that surrounds it. Moreover, the sea around the island used to abound with fish, including the wild sea bream, famous in all Greece. Even though intensive fishing has depleted the seas, very good fresh fish and lobsters can still be found on the nearby island of Psara.
A must in Chios: The breathtaking sunset at the perched village of Avgonyma while sipping the evening ouzo on a cliffside tavern, eyes looking out to sea. With a small local mezze…
*****
Thanks to Evi Siougari-Parmantier for sharing with us her love of the Greek islands and for writing this article. Evi and Marc, her husband, have a guesthouse in the heart of an organic olive grove in the Peloponnese. A paradise for all those who want to spend a nature vacation in Greece. And to learn more, it’s here.
*****
Find all our articles on Chios :
