Special Food of Chios Island

"Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat." These were the words of the classical Greek philosopher Socrates. Even Socrates was a wise man, following this wisdom means to miss experience, especially by visiting Chios Island. This place in the northern Aegean sea is not only characterized by its beautiful landscape, but also by its tasteful specialties.

One specialty combines both characteristics of the island. Protected by stonewalls and cultivated by passionate farmers, orange trees are common all over the island. Generations of cultivators start to harvest their citrus fruit in November, hand them out to markets, restaurants and to merchants, to export them by ship to different countries all over the world.

Some of the fruits, which stay on the island, are supposed to become sweets, what leads us to the next specialty of Chios Island. Of cause the sweets are not just made of oranges. Apples, pistachios, figs, walnuts, sour cherries, bitter oranges and bergamots are also used to be boiled, combined with sugar, honey and other sweeteners to create tasty sweets. Again, the knowledge of creating these sweets is transmitted through generations and is nowadays used in manufactures. A very special ingredient, which is not only, but also used to create sweets is mastic.

Mastic is gained of the mastic tree, which only grows in the south of Chios Island. Being the most famous speciality of Chios Island, it is used for almost every kind of food. Shops all over the Island offer mastic liquor, chocolate, bread, cheese, chewing gum and also for medicine the "tears of chios" are used.
Now the table is set with bright oranges, sweets made of fruits, mastic cheese, but one very important and liquid specialty, which is not only produced in Chios Island, is still missing -Ouzo.

Ouzo is part of Greece like drinking frappe, like playing backgammon in front of the cafe, like the καλημέρα in the morning. Of course also the Chians are producing ouzo. Mixing grape skins or other local fruits with a range of spices from star anise, coriander, cloves to angelica root, cinnamon and lime blossom. After being boiled in a traditional copper still (kanzania), it will be cooled and stored for several month and finally delivered to Greece and the world.
By having all these specialties in mind, it is now up to you to decide, whether Socrates knew Chios Island.