Yerba Mate

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When Mexico and Uruguay come together, it often times involves a soccer match.  This time, it was over a caffeine-rich drink native to South America known as ‘mate’.

The drink itself is similar to tea in taste and consistency, but contains more caffeine than a regular cup of coffee.

In order to make mate, there are a couple of steps to follow.

  1. You need a mate gourd, and mate, of course.

Gourd and mate

2. The mate is packed into the gourd, making sure to leave some empty space in which to pour boiling hot water.

Gourd packed with mate
Gourd packed with mate

3. The mate is left to steep for a couple of minutes.

4.

Gourd with bombilla (straw)

4. There is a special straw for drinking mate known as a bombilla (pictured above)

Martin taking the first sip.
5. The mate itself has a strong herbal taste.

4 Comments on “Yerba Mate”

  1. Martin,
    I had no idea so much went into preparing mate to drink. I am curious, what things can be used to flavor mate? Sugar or honey like Americans use to flavor tea, or maybe cream that we use in coffee?
    Marli

  2. Sorry Marli, had some problems logging that I just solved. Some people use regular sugar. But generaly that would be considered a mortal sin by mate integrists, among who I would count myself, jajaja

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