Anyone here know anything about mastic? - Printable Version +- Cuisine at home Forums (https://forums.cuisineathome.com) +-- Thread: Anyone here know anything about mastic? (/showthread.php?tid=89883) |
Anyone here know anything about mastic? - labradors - 11-08-2009 Just discovered an interesting-sounding recipe, but it uses an ingredient of which I have never heard. So far, I haven't searched to see if is available here, but I'd like to learn more about it (MORE than I've already found with Google, that is), especially what can be used as a substitute, if possible. That ingredient is "mastic" (or almáciga in Spanish, in the recipe). Here's the recipe (which doesn't say much about quantities) as translated from three different Spanish sources: Chicken Soup with Cardamom Ingredients:
Re: Anyone here know anything about mastic? - Gourmet_Mom - 11-08-2009 I've never heard of it. Since I'm assuming it's found in Latin cuisine, I'm not surprised. Maybe Cubangirl has heard of it. I'll be anxious to hear what it is or is like. Re: Anyone here know anything about mastic? - Harborwitch - 11-08-2009 You can buy it on Amazon. It's used in middle eastern, Greek cooking. The taste is described as "piney". Other than that ??????? Sounds interesting. Re: Anyone here know anything about mastic? - Gourmet_Mom - 11-08-2009 Aren't juniper berries "piney"? Could this be used to sub? Re: Anyone here know anything about mastic? - Harborwitch - 11-08-2009 I'm not real sure since mastic is mostly used for sweets??? I guess one would just have to try it. Re: Anyone here know anything about mastic? - labradors - 11-08-2009 After posting my question here, I happened to find an interesting blog called Confessions of a Cardamom Addict, and emailed the blogger (named Jasmine) to see if she had encountered this recipe, or knew anything about the mastic. She responded very quickly, and here is what she said: Quote: There IS an import store here that, although not truly a "Middle-Eastern store," does carry some Middle-Eastern products (because the owner is of Arabic descent, and there are Arabs, here, who came to Honduras decades ago because they were Catholic, and needed to escape being hunted down by Muslims in their own countries for not being Muslim). That store could have the mastic, but I'll check a couple other places, as well, since even the supermarkets have some surprises, at times. Re: Anyone here know anything about mastic? - Old Bay - 11-08-2009 Retsina is a Greek wine form. In Greece some wine is treated with a pine resin. It produces a wine with a sappy, turpentine flavor-an aquired taste. I like a mild form. I'll bet Jasmine is refering to this flavor and that's what you are looking for.Maybe a rosemary stem? Re: Anyone here know anything about mastic? - Harborwitch - 11-08-2009 Love retsina. We've got a bottle in the wine cooler just waiting for a wonderful Greek dinner. Very much an acquired taste. Re: Anyone here know anything about mastic? - Cubangirl - 11-09-2009 Sorry, I've never seen a recipe that called for it. I've heard of it regarding gum and dental work. I would guess that if helps with binding as well as providing a smokey taste. Re: Anyone here know anything about mastic? - foodfiend - 11-09-2009 I saw this and thought it was a question about adhesive! I have a tube in the basement... Well, I have learned my "something new" for today! |