We’re always for looking for new ways to step up our kitchen game. New flavors are welcome in the hands of our Caputo’s team. In this case, the flavor is new to us, but not necessarily to new to Greek culinary enthusiasts. Friends, meet Chios Mastica.

On one particular Greek island just south of Lesvos and nearer to mainland Turkey than mainland Greece, there is one particular tree grown for one particular sap. The island of Chios is known for the most flavorful sap harvested from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus). A close cousin of the pistachios we regularly eat, mastic is grown for the sap and is dried out to produce chewing gum, a distilled spirit, and the pure dried teardrops of sap. Bark is cut early in the morning and revisited later in the afternoon to collect the seeping, sticky sap. In the kitchen, mastica is finely ground and added to breads, pastries, and ice cream for its pine-y flavor and bright aroma. Mastica is exported to Egypt, Turkey, and Lebanon for use in jams, meat marinades, and even coffee.

Think of your favorite breads and pastries that rely on typical baking spices like clove, cinnamon, and allspice and then imagine incorporating one more layer to that recipe that complements those warm spice notes, but also offers a brighter, more green aroma. We get both increased depth of flavor and, for me, an aroma reminiscent of the first days of having a fresh Christmas tree at home.

We’re just scratching the surface of the endless possibilities mastica has to offer. Stay tuned for recipes and uses are we dive even deeper into this new pool of tasty obsession.

Caputo’s is known for many things. Our exceptional cheese program, enormous amounts on craft chocolate, and our 20 years of award winning sandwiches are among them. What you may not know, however, is that we’re taking cocktails and bar menus just as seriously as we are our cheese caves and chocolate brands. Our own home bars are spilling over with the necessary and essential cocktail components. One of the most important pieces of the cocktail puzzle? Bitters.

If you’ve enjoyed a cocktail lately, there’s a good chance Dale Degroff had a hand in restoring it’s popularity. The art of the craft cocktail has slowly been revived since its near extinction from the time of Prohibition. During his time at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center, Mr. Degroff helped to restore the respected position of bar-tending while also helping to resurrect America’s appreciation for  the classic, balanced cocktails of decades past. After countless mixology awards, two published books, and a decade later, we can now bring a piece of Dale Degroff home with us by way of his own handcrafted bitters.

Dale Degroff teamed up with noted absinthe distiller T.A. Breaux in France to create a spiced bitters highlighting both allspice and anise with a warm backbone of many more spices. The result is an aromatic, warm concoction perfect for classic rum and whiskey cocktails. From sazeracs to rum punch, the possibilities are endless. If we had to pick just one bitters to keep on hand at home, this would be one of the top selections. What’s more, these bitters are just as useful in the kitchen as they are at the bar. Finish any grilled or seafood dish with just a dash for enhanced complexity of whip into pastry creams and meringues in the place of vanilla extract for an intriguing new take on your favorite desserts. You’ll be amazed by how often you find yourself reaching for these bitters, and we don’t blame you, we’re doing it too.