Cruz de Malta Overview
Easy to prepare, delicious notes, and a wonderful effect, Cruz De Malta meets all the typical descriptions you hear about mate. Making it perfect for beginners, while a classic for experienced drinkers. And it’s super cheap.
When I wrote this review, I had mate for weeks already so my palate likely accustomed to the smokiness, making it hard to detect.
Let’s let its warmth and flavor transport you to relaxation and enjoyment. Cruz de Malta is a traditional Argentine mate. Free of chemicals, this mate is 100% natural and clean.
I noticed about this herb is that it had an excellent cut. The leaves are uneven, so you see huge coarsely cut chunks along with small pieces.
Preparation
It tastes best in a gourd, and not brewed as tea. It also comes in flavors, such as orange or lemon. Cruz de Malta is inexpensive. It steeps multiple times very well.
The most popular way of drinking mate is to continuously sip it, for hours and adding more leaves or water as necessary. Each steep releases more flavor and nutrients from the mate.
Yerba mate is consumed from a traditional hollow gourd. The tea is sipped through a metallic straw. In a social setting, friends pass the drink refilling with hot water from a thermos when necessary! I tend to use it as a stimulant when I want to switch from coffee. My favorite brand of mate is Cruz de Malta.
I’ll show you how to make mate taste better with my recipe below. I find that this recipe provides the best focus and energy with caffeine and oils working together. I make about 3 cups of mate which calls for 6 Tsps. That is undoubtedly a result of its flavor and incredible health benefits. This powerful drink offers health benefits, including improving brain function.
How to Best Drink Mate
What is the best way to drink mate?
Yerba mate is generally infused with hot water, not boiling, at 160 to 180 degrees. Water simmers at 190 degrees and boils at 212 degrees. The traditional way to drink it involves a gourd, a metal straw (or bombilla), a bag of yerba mate, and a thermos of hot water. All you have to do is put a heaping pile of yerba mate into the gourd, add some hot water, and sip through the straw. Drinking it in this manner is a big part of both the rural and urban culture.
In addition to the traditional recipe, there are variations of this drink: mate cocido and yerba mate gringo style. Just put the mate leaves in a sachet in boiling water and leave them to infuse. The ‘yerba mate gringo’ style refers to placing the leaves in a cup, adding cold water, and then hot water afterwards.
Yerba mate can be found in teas, smoothies, and cocktails. These drinks combine mate’s flavors with other ingredients to create a delightful, energizing experience. Whether you prefer a concentrated shot or a bubbly soda, there’s a yerba mate drink for everyone.
Adding sugar is the easiest way of sweetening mate. Be mindful of how much you add, as it can quickly accumulate.
Yerba mate provides an energy boost similar to coffee, but with less caffeine and more nutrients. It offers the “strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea, and the euphoria of chocolate.” Indigenous South Americans called it “the drink of the gods.”
Cruz de Malta Review
Cruz de Malta Tradicional has a vegetal aroma with floral notes and a smell of dried berries. The leaves are ground unevenly, so there are huge coarsely cut chunks and small pieces.
Once you’ve gathered the materials, clean the mate gourd to ensure an enjoyable drinking experience. Rinse it with warm water and brush to remove dust and debris.
Rules for Drinking Mate
There are 4 main components:
- Gourd
- Yerba herbs
- Hot water
- Bombilla
Put yerba in the gourd. Cover and turn upside down. Shake to mix. This removes some powder. Add a bit of hot water to moisten leaves. Insert bombilla. Add more hot water. Drink, refilling with hot water as needed.
Cruz de Malta is a good mate for beginners. It has a mild, smoky flavor with no bitterness. The inexpensive brand steeps well multiple times. It’s best drunk from a gourd, not as tea. Flavored versions like orange or lemon offer a twist.