Marje Selecting the Yerba Mate Leaves The plant can grow in different settings, but the best tasting mate comes from leaves that have been grown in the shade of the rainforest. Preparing the Mate Gourd Mate cups, also known as gourds, are traditionally made from a hollowed-out gourd. To use a mate cup, fill the gourd … Read more
Origins The indigenous Guaraní first cultivated mate leaf. Its consumption was exclusive to two regions of Paraguay. After the Jesuits discovered its potential, mate leaf became widespread. By 1676, the main production was in Maracayú. Settlers from Asunción dominated production amidst mate forests. Conflict arose when settlers from Villa Rica and Ciudad Real moved into … Read more
