Dinking
mate
is usually a must at any good meeting with friends. Flavored, plain,
or made of different herbs, Argentine yerba mate is one of the most
consumed in the world.
When conquerors
arrived at the wet lands of South America, they noticed that natives
would drink an infusion that the Guarani Indians called “caiguá”
(káa
= herb, y
= water, and gua
that means "what belongs to the herb").
Decades, wars,
and governments went by, but the culture of mate
became a heritage of the Argentine people (although we also have to
acknowledge the paternity of Uruguay and Paraguay).
Among the
properties given to the beverage by its followers are its excellent
diuretic and antioxidant properties apart from its being a natural
energy drink. It is also a source of minerals, such as potassium or
magnesium, and of vitamin B.
Regular drinkers
recommend filling three quarters of a container or gourd with yerba.
Then, turn the container upside-down and shake it so that the
thinnest particles remain on top and do not block the bombilla
(tube used for drinking ).
Once the
infusion is ready, we pour some cool water, and drink the first mate,
called the “silly mate”
due to the very strong flavor typical of the herb. For the rest of
the rounds, the water is used at 75°C.
Some people add
sugar to the beverage or mix it with orange or lemon zests, while
others dare to pour milk instead of water, thus giving the drink
different flavors and nuances.
It is also
important to know how to keep yerba mate: it has to be kept in an
airtight container that protects it from light and humidity, and if
possible, far from products that have strong aromas that can
contaminate the particular flavor of the yerba.