Newsletter Issue 11 January 2010 Aromatic Journey in the Eastern Mediterranean hios’s aromatic mastic gum oozes silently Mastic gum must coagulate before it is col- and slowly from the wounds cut into the lected. There are two major collection dates. One C mastic tree trunk and forms droplets. Dia- starts about August 15th and the other September mond-like droplets fall to the ground and collect 15th. To begin, the area under the tree is swept beneath the tree. Sparkling with a clear brilliance with a regular broom and the entire collection is when the sun hits them, they lie on the ground picked up and put in a sack. The sacks are then protected from the soil and debris by a layer of taken back to the village. (Historically, the sacks white clay tamped down and flattened to form a were transported by donkey; now they are trans- table-like surface. The white clay placed under the ported by a strange-looking vehicle that resembles tree keeps the gum clean and transparent and is a lawn mower on wheels with a truck-bed addi- called a trapezi or table. One thousand tons of tion in the rear.) They say you can tell a mastic kaolin is used per year on Chios to make the grower by the vehicle. For example, we once saw white tables under the mastic trees. a determined old lady, her head wrapped tightly in a white scarf, driving a bunch of what could have My husband Robert Seidel from The Essential Oil been her grandkids through the town of Prygi, one Doreen Peterson, BA, Company and I have sailed to the eastern Mediter- of the quaint medieval mastic villages, in one of Dip.NT, RH (AHG), ARC ranean beating into the meltemi wind howling from these converted lawn mowers. President the northwest to visit the Greek island of Chios. We are on a mission to learn as much as we can The sacks of mastic harvest contain a lot of soil about the mastic tree and to understand how the and debris, as well as the gum, and they are left to gum is harvested (Chios mastic gum is now pro- sit until October or November when the mastic tected by the European Union). We have had the gum cleaning process begins. The sacks are first great fortune to meet two experts, John Perikos, emptied into half barrels full of water. The leaves author of many books including The Chios Gum float to the surface and are collected with a sieve Mastic, and Vassilis Ballas and his wife Roula. To- and put aside. The remaining material is left in the gether Vassilis and his wife have moved from Ath- water for three days. Then calcium carbonate is ens to Chios to become mastic farmers and to added to the water, changing the density, and the provide ecotours of the mastic fields, among other mastic gum floats to the surface. The mastic is fascinating things, and have established a company skimmed off and sorted. called Masticculture. Gum must be refrigerated if it is stored before John and Vassilis kindly spend time with us and being delivered to the Mastic Growers’ Coopera- share their knowledge of the mastic gum process. tive. The Cooperative sorts the mastic again. This Vassilis drives us around the island, sharing all the time women wearing pretty pale-blue smocks with secret and fascinating places, which are tourist matching hair coverings and latex gloves sit around destinations, but so strangely signposted we miss a large table covered in mastic tears. With speed them when driving ourselves. Then he takes us and dexterity, using a small sharp-pointed knife out into the mastic fields so we can experience blade, they cut away impurities and “pick” through the aromatic trees and the gathering process first- the gum, sorting it by size and color[2]. hand[1]. (Continued on page 2) Page 2 Newsletter shrub and grows very slowly, about 2-3 meters high, and can live The Cooperative also has a computer that analyzes quality by for 40-50 years. It seems to grow happily interspersed with olive passing it through a light box, checking for color clarity. It can trees and the soft grey-green of the olive and the deep green of also give an average size for payment, because all mastic gum the mastic tree give a wonderful patchwork of color to the land- gathered must be sold to the Cooperative. The Cooperative was scape. The tree is propagated by tip cuttings, which are put started in 1938 after production declined and its value dropped. straight into the field in the fall and watered. For the first 1-2 Today mastic producers must sell to the Cooperative, and even if years it is necessary to irrigate and the tree does better with a they want to make their own product, they must sell the gum nitrogenous fertilizer. and then buy it back. Over time, the Cooperative has stabilized prices and has done a lot to promote mastic gum; exports of In the past farmers grew broad beans around the trees and dug Chios mastic gum have increased considerably over the years. them when they were harvested. Vassilis plans to return to this The new chain of Gum Mastica boutiques, one of which recently practice, along with starting an island compost-recycling program. opened in New York, is the brainchild of the commercial division It is hot in the summer, Vassilis explains, but not too hot with a of the Cooperative. morning mist. He emphasizes how important this is for a plentiful harvest. The morning mist is so important it has its own name, Vassilis, our guide, lives in the village of Mesta, a truly charming “drongima.” (Drongima typically occurs from July through Sep- medieval mastic village, and explains to us that the harvest and tember, but in 2007, it did not begin until August and so the mas- cleaning technique is from Mesta. Each mastic town has a slightly tic ran late.) The global climate change is an unknown. Heat and different technique. Pyrgi has a special technique of centrifuge to moisture threaten the tree, so production is good, but too much remove the mastic gum from the debris. Prygi is only 10 minutes moisture can make the bark soft, which is not desirable. It is a from Mesta, but it has a different dialect, different costumes, and fine climatic balance; a single rain during the harvest can destroy a very unique and intricate style of house adornment that leaves it. It can wash the gum away or if the gum is fresh, it mixes with us thinking, Well what else do you do when there is no TV! the rainwater and turns black. If this happens, the price drops to 5-6 euros per kilo (The smaller, drier gum, which is of lesser The quality of mastic gum is based on color. The clearer the gum, quality, is used for distilling mastic gum oil.). the better the quality. When it becomes yellow, it is oxidized. The transparent glass bead-like Vassilis has also told us about gum is the highest quality. As it Chios’ wild orchids. He believes ages it turns white, then yel- Chios Mastica Oil Mouthwash[8] there is a relationship between low. The gum is given the the orchids, which flower Feb- grade of A, B, or C. Grade A is 50 ml Green tea ruary through mid-May, and the the highest quality for which mastic gum yield. He is con- 2 drops Chios Mastica oil the mastic farmer is paid 80 cerned that farmers are now euros a kilo. For grade B the Mix the ingredients well and use to rinse your mouth after cultivating more than they price is 70 euros per kilo and meals or after brushing your teeth. Do no swallow. The should and that this will affect C is 62 euros a kilo. Each tree fluoride in the green tea, combined with the Chios mastic the delicate balance. Chios also can yield up to about 200 essential oil's antibacterial action, strengthen the gums, help has four different rare species of wild tulips, and we are told grams per year, but it does not prevent tooth decay and leave your breath fresh and fragrant. start to produce until the 5th that Holland’s tulip industry or 6th year. originated in Chios. Vasillis has spent a lot of time with older mastic farmers, learning Vassilis’s[3] grandfather came from the village of Myrsta. He and the process of looking after his mastic trees, and exchanging his his wife were in the Web development industry in Athens, lead- labor for their wisdom. When I ask him how he knows where to ing what he described as a “stressful life.” They came to Mesta cut the tree, he explains how he feels for the vein. The incisions, for the weekend to visit several years ago. It was winter but they or cuts, are then made in the same place each year. It is said the still enjoyed it. They decided to return to live and within two tree is crying and the cutting is called hurting. Each cut is 3-5 days had moved. They aim for 2-300 kilos of mastic production centimeters and spaced about 5-10 centimeters apart. They are per year; the European Union has helped fund their return to the made vertical to the trunk or branch. The white clay table and village through a program called Young Farmers.