Mastihashop NY

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It’s unlikely many people have ever heard of mastiha, a natural resin excreted from the trunk of the evergreen Mediterranean schinos tree. But most visitors to this one-room sliver of a shop are intrigued by the substance’s therapeutic properties. Proponents of mastiha, which is grown in only eighteen villages on the Greek island of Chios, claim it eases digestive disorders and rejuvenates tired-looking skin. Greek sisters Artemis and Kalliopi Kohas opened this first U.S. outpost of the chain started by the Chios Mastiha Growers Association, a cooperative that monopolizes the trade of mastiha in Greece. Shelves of impeccably packaged mastiha-based foods�think pasta, extra virgin olive oil, a flat honey pie with almonds�sit side-by-side with mastiha health and beauty products like face cream, shower gel, toothpaste, and soap. At the tasting corner, shoppers are encouraged to sample Turkish delight, gum, and sweet mastiha paste (dip it in water to create your own lollipop), and discover the healing power of this natural resource for themselves. — Bree Sposato