Saving ‘The Tears of Chios’

Mastic gum — an aromatic tree resin prized for its medicinal properties — has been used to flavor everything from desserts to toothpaste. It was used to cure digestive issues in ancient times, and even to preserve photography negatives when the technology was new. On the Greek island of Chios, inhabitants of 24 fortified villages still cultivate mastic, known poetically as “The Tears of Chios.” But producers say there aren’t enough growers to meet global demand. The World’s Durrie Bouscaren reports.