What is the traditional way to drink mate?
The basic cup for drinking mate is a gourd. Syrians and Lebanese prepare the drink by adding the herb and water to a gourd and stirring it. This act of stirring would be unacceptable to a South American drinker. The South American creates a mound allowing flavor to be released slowly. He maintains the mound, only pouring water in the “valley”. Syrians add the herb to half the gourd, add water on top, and stir with the bombilla. So it is more of a tea infusion and lasts for less time.
To drink mate you need: the herb, a gourd, a bombilla (metal straw), and a thermos. It has health benefits like antioxidants, boosts immunity, is a diuretic, reduces fatigue, suppresses appetite, and increases metabolism. The caffeine content is between coffee and tea.
Argentinians usually drink it for breakfast with juice, or before sunset, hot or cold. As things evolve the beverage has become common to drink from cans, bottles or energy drinks, to drink on the go. Getting together to matear forges emotional links between people, taking Argentinians back to their roots.
Preparation
How long do you let the herb sit?
The herb is traditionally consumed in central and southern regions of South America. It is also popular in the Druze community in Syria and Lebanon. The herb was cultivated by the indigenous Guaraní people in southern Brazil.
When served cold, the drink is called tereré in Guaraní. It has a unique method of preparation involving a special cup (gourd or maté) and filtered straw (bombilla).
The traditional method is by far the most popular (and authentic) way of drinking mate. You’ll need a bombilla (filtered straw) and maté (gourd or cup).
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Put two teaspoons of the herb in a mate. Cover it with one hand and turn upside down. Shake to mix the herb. Some powder will remain that you throw away. Return the mate and add hot, not boiling, water to moisten the leaves, creating a sticky paste.
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Immerse the bombilla where the water was poured. Add more hot water from the side with the bombilla. Now you can start drinking.
You can drink 1-4 liters per day safely. Avoid evening consumption if caffeine sensitive. Mix with other herbs to improve flavor or effects.
Water Temperature
Should I boil yerba mate?
The ideal temperature for boiling mate is typically around 160°F. This temperature range ensures flavor extraction, resulting in a rich brew. If the water is too hot, it can lead to a bitter taste. If too cool, the brew will be weak.