Mate is an herbal tea from South America. The leaves and twigs of the mate plant are dried over a fire. Then they are steeped in hot water to make a tea-like drink. This drink has caffeine like coffee or tea. But mate gives energy without the jitters of coffee.
Mate tastes earthy with nice flavor. Some brands add extra flavors like mint. The traditional way to drink mate is hot. But in Paraguay they make tereré, a cold version using ice water and fruit juice.
To make hot mate:
Add mate leaves to a French press or strainer. Pour in 170°F water. Steep 5 minutes then strain. Tereré is made by steeping the herbal tea in ice cold water with mint or fruit juice. Both hot mate and tereré are very social drinks in South American culture.
When drinking mate it’s important to follow etiquette. Use a guampa gourd made from a bull’s horn. Share the gourd with friends. Let each person drink in turn from the same straw. This creates a peaceful experience connecting everyone.
The standard way to prepare mate is with hot water that’s warm, not boiling. Simply steep the dried leaves overnight in cold water. Then strain out the leaves, add lime slices, and enjoy this healthy drink over ice.
Never use boiling water to brew mate, because that will make the resulting brew much more bitter. This recipe uses a blend of cool and hot water to make your mate taste awesome.
Mate can also be found in ready-made teas, smoothies, cocktails and sodas. It combines well with ingredients like mint, lemongrass, grapefruit or pomelo. These not only add flavor but also additional health benefits.
Drinking large amounts of mate for long periods may have health risks. Moderation is recommended, just like with coffee and other caffeinated drinks.
You can brew a delicious batch of mate in a french press. Making mate in a french press is one of the best alternatives to the traditional method, especially when you don’t have enough time on your hands. It only takes a few minutes, is cheaper, you can easily bring it on-the-go, and tastes just as earthy and delicious.
Mate is a drink made by steeping dried leaves from the mate plant in hot water. To enjoy mate properly you must prepare it properly.
Tereré is the traditional Paraguayan cold-brewed version of mate tea. The main difference between preparing hot mate tea and tereré is that tereré is brewed with ice-cold water.
Mate has a flavor profile similar to green tea, with hints of tobacco and oak.
The traditional method of preparing mate uses a gourd along with a metal straw called a bombilla. First, fill the gourd about halfway with mate leaves. Shake the gourd to settle the leaves along one side, creating a cavity for the water. Slowly pour hot water (not boiling) into the cavity, being careful not to disturb the leaves or let them get too wet, which creates bitterness. Rest the bombilla in the cavity with the bottom submerged in water and the top sticking out at an angle. Sip the brew through the bombilla, which filters out the leaves. Refill with hot water and repeat until the flavor fades.
This ritual of passing around the mate gourd is an important social tradition in parts of South America. Sharing mate with friends and family fosters hospitality and friendship. Beyond social benefits, yerba mate offers health benefits like increased energy, improved digestion and heart health.