The next step involves sweeping the prepared ground, either with standard brooms, handy brooms, or portable electric blowers.
Ready to immerse yourself in the captivating world of Chios Mastiha cultivation, where tradition meets innovation and nature’s bounty is transformed into a cherished treasure?
In January and February, the caretakers of Chios Mastiha meticulously prune the tree’s lower limbs.
This deliberate shaping allows air and light to circulate, facilitating the resin’s drying.
Between March and May, the soil at the tree base undergoes clearing to eliminate weeds and encourage renewal.
From June to July, it’s essential to remove vegetation, rocks, turf, and debris from around the tree trunk. Traditional tools like the “amia”, shovels, and trowels assist in this endeavor, focusing on a “circular” area around each tree, known as “table crafting.”
The next step involves sweeping the prepared ground, either with standard brooms, handy brooms, or portable electric blowers.
In the months of June and July, a layer of finely sifted white soil is applied and compacted to form a smooth surface. This process not only enhances the visibility and collection of Chios Mastiha droplets but also ensures their solidification on a brilliant white backdrop. The white soil, primarily composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), is inert, safeguarding the mastiha’s purity and quality.
A well-prepared “table” significantly improves the clarity and collection efficiency of Chios Mastiha.
A critical phase involves delicately incising the lentisk trees with a specially designed iron tool, the “kentitiri,” featuring grooved ends. From mid-July to mid-October, growers embark on this task twice weekly in the early hours, careful to minimize tree damage. Depending on its age, a tree may receive up to 100 cuts during this period, making the Kentos process a cornerstone of Chios Mastiha production.
Approximately 15-20 days post-incision, the larger mastiha pieces, known as “pites,” along with the “tears” on the trunk and the “fliskaria” dangling from branches, are collected using a “timitiri.” Subsequently, the mastiha is placed in wooden crates and stored in cool areas for cleaning before being sent to the Chios Mastiha Growers Association. This initial gathering occurs from July to August.
A second round of collection follows, adhering to the same timeframe after the incisions, with the first in July-August and the second from September to October.
From November until spring, growers sift the mastiha to rid it of leaves, twigs, and soil in a process termed “Tahtarisma.”
During the same period, mastiha undergoes a traditional cleaning process with soap and cold water, followed by rinsing and spreading for drying.
In a meticulous and somewhat monotonous task known as “Pastrema,” each grain of mastiha is cleaned with sharp knives to remove impurities. This laborious job is often undertaken in groups, fostering a communal spirit.
After purification, the mastiha is handed over to the Chios Mastiha Growers Association for further processing, packaging, and sale.
