To cure a mate gourd, put moist yerba inside and add warm water. Let sit 24 hours. Remove yerba, rinse, and scrape inside skin off.
Always handwash gourds with warm water. Rinse after use, dry at an angle for air circulation to prevent mold.
Modern curing clears insides out in 20 minutes.
Using a Mate Gourd
To use: Half fill dry loose leaves, flip over, shake leaves flat. Pour hot water in. Sip through metal straw. Refill until taste fades. First sips may let some leaves through until swells to fit straw.
Curing Methods
If you read other guides on curing a mate gourd, the one benefit to curing is to clear the inside. New gourds have loose tissue that imparts a bitter taste. To remove it, use one of two curing methods below.
- Rinse to remove dirt. Let dry completely. Sand inside to smooth it. This improves taste.
- Add ashes and hot water until full. Let sit ventilated for days, topping off water. Then rinse thoroughly.
Mate Tradition
While disposable cups allow drinking mate on the go, lovers know it tastes better from wood or natural gourds like ancestors used. Argentinians love drinking from natural calabash gourds.
Curing is essential to preserve the gourd and improve the taste.
The gourd holds froth and overflowing. The bombilla rises, inviting us to share.
When filling the gourd, leave space at the top for the brewing process. Your gourd brewing technique impacts taste and benefits.
For traditional mate, you just need a gourd, leaves, hot water and a straw.
Rinse your gourd after drinking. Place near heat to quick dry.
Enjoy connecting to the tradition and community!
Higher temperatures lead to a more bitter flavor and lower temperatures preserve its natural sweetness. Mate lovers know that this infusion tastes better from a natural mate gourd or at least from a wooden one.