Mastic
Also known as: mastiha, Chios mastic, mastic tears, lentisk resin
The aromatic, pale-yellow resin tears of a Mediterranean evergreen tree, mastic brings a fresh, piney, and slightly woody flavor with hints of cedar and citrus, prized in Greek and Middle Eastern cooking for breads, sweets, ice cream, and savory dishes.
Fresh, resinous, and piney with notes of cedar, citrus, and a clean, slightly wo...
Pistacia lentiscus var. chia
spice
Pairs Well With
Mastic is the pale-yellow resin of a Mediterranean evergreen tree in the pistachio family, harvested as small, aromatic tears. It delivers a fresh, piney, and resinous flavor with hints of cedar and citrus, prized in Greek and Middle Eastern cooking for breads, sweets, ice cream, and savory dishes, and chewed for centuries as a natural breath freshener.
Mastic's fresh, piney, and resinous character comes from a complex mix of monoterpenes, with alpha-pinene and beta-pinene providing the clean pine scent, while myrcene and limonene add citrusy warmth and camphor-like compounds give the woody, cedar edge that makes mastic unmistakable.
MASTIC
ALPHA-PINENE
pine | fresh | resinous
The dominant terpene; gives mastic its clean, fresh pine and resinous top note.
BETA-PINENE
woody | pine | earthy
Adds a deeper woody, earthy pine note that rounds the fresh top.
MYRCENE
earthy | musky | citrus
Contributes a subtle earthy, musky warmth with a faint citrus lift.
LIMONENE
citrus | fresh | lemony
Adds a bright citrus note that lightens the resinous base.
CAMPHENE
camphor | woody | cool
Gives a faint camphor, cedar-like coolness that adds the woody depth.
Grind with Sugar or Salt
Grind mastic tears with a pinch of sugar or salt in a mortar to prevent sticking and release the aromatic, resinous oils.
Infuse in Warm Liquid
Steep whole or crushed tears in warm milk, cream, or oil, then strain to capture the full piney aroma in desserts and sauces.
Use Sparingly
Mastic's flavor is intense and resinous; a few tears perfume a whole dish, so start with a small amount and build to taste.
Greek and Levantine sweets
Perfumes spoon sweets, ice cream, and milk puddings with a fresh, piney aroma.
Baking
Ground into breads, cookies, and festive doughs for a distinctive resinous scent.
Dairy and cream
Infused into warm milk and cream for ice cream, custards, and panna cotta.
Savory cooking
Stirred into sauces and stews in small amounts for a complex, resinous depth.
Beverages
Steeped into herbal teas and liqueurs for a fresh, aromatic infusion.
Powder
Ground mastic is ready for batters, creams, and doughs but loses its volatile, resinous oils within months; grind fresh with a little sugar or salt for the brightest flavor.
Whole
Whole tears keep their fresh, piney aroma for up to two years and can be ground fresh or infused whole in warm liquids for the fullest resinous scent.
Mastic is a spice derived from dried resin tears (whole or ground) with unique botanical and culinary properties.
Botanical Name
Pistacia lentiscus var. chia
Also Known As
mastiha, Chios mastic, mastic tears, lentisk resin
Major Flavor Compound
α-Pinene
Parts Used
Dried resin tears (whole or ground)
Non-Culinary Uses
Mastic is chewed as a natural breath freshener and gum, used in traditional medicine for digestion and oral health, and in natural skincare and varnish.
Method of Cultivation
A Mediterranean evergreen shrub or tree grown in the dry, rocky soils of Chios. The bark is scored in summer, and the resin tears seep out and harden, then are hand-collected, cleaned, and sun-dried.
Commercial Preparation
After collection the resin tears are cleaned of bark and dust, sorted by size and clarity, and sun-dried. They are sold whole for grinding fresh, or ground commercially for baking, sweets, and flavoring.
Mastic has been harvested on the Greek island of Chios for over 2,500 years, its resin tears prized across the ancient Mediterranean for cooking, medicine, and chewing. So valuable was mastic that the Ottoman sultans reserved a share for the imperial court, and the Chios mastic villages prospered for centuries on its trade. Its fresh, piney aroma still flavors Greek and Levantine sweets, breads, and ice cream today.
Mastic is endemic to the Greek island of Chios, with limited cultivation in other parts of the eastern Mediterranean.
Growing Regions
Primary Sources:
🇬🇷 Greece (Chios)
🇹🇷 Turkey
🇨🇾 Cyprus
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Recipes with Mastic
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