[Tears of Chios; Pistacia lentiscus]
This resin has a multi-thousand year history of use as a medicinal, and as a flavoring and texturizing agent in soups and savory dishes, sweets, baked goods, fruit and vegetable preserves, and as a natural chewing gum. If you use it as a chewing gum, it kind of sticks with you. Since ancient times it has been used to relieve digestive issues.
The Greek island of Chios has always been the main producer, but production is increasing on the Turkish peninsula of Çeçme, just a few miles from Chios. While this small tree is found all around the Mediterranean coast and to the Canary Islands, it only produces mastic resin in these two locations. Producing it is very labor intensive so this resin is expensive.
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