Chios Koulourakia Mastichas (Κουλουράκια Μαστίχας)

Koulourakia Mastichas belong to Chios, because mastiha belongs to Chios. The little resin tears from the southern villages give these butter cookies their pine-clean perfume, a scent that is Greek in a very particular way: not loud, not sweet-shop heavy, just clear enough to stay on your fingers after the last crumb.

The method is simple, but one step matters. Grind the mastiha with a little sugar before it touches the dough. Whole tears cling together and make bitter little pockets. Crushed with sugar, they disappear into the butter and scent every ring evenly. That is the difference between a Chios cookie and a butter cookie with a surprise in it.

Shape them as small rings, twists, or braids, and don't bake them dark. They should be pale gold at the edges, tender when fresh, and firmer the next day with coffee. I keep this one plain on purpose. The region is the dish's surname, and Chios has already given us the thing that matters.