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Mate: all about it

Hey everyone!

 

Today, 30th of November, is Mate Day in Argentina. Because of that, I've decided to make this post to explain what mate is and other things you should know about it if you plan on drinking it, as in depth as I can.

 

I covered "technical" aspects of Mate in this post, you can read more about the sayings related to it and the answer to more questions you could have in @Cecilita's post Is the Mate illegal?

 

What is mate?

Spoiler: You might have figured this out, but the mate this post is about has nothing to do with the word for friend that Australians are known for saying so much.

 

Mate, also called maté, cimarrrón or chimarrão, is an infused drink that consists of drinking hot water mixed with dried leaves of yerba mate in hot water through a metal straw.Caption: A prepared mate on top of a table.Caption: A prepared mate on top of a table.

 

The straw, called bombilla, bomba, bombija or masassa is usually made of silver or stainless steel. The bombilla's submerged end has small holes that allow liquid in, and avoid the entrance of the chopped yerba mate herbs. They have to be washed out regularly.

 

Where it's drunk from is called mate, guampa, gourd, cuia or cabaça and it can be from many materials and a few shapes. The most common one in Argentina is a gourd shape and made from wood, pumpkin, bone or even glass covered in leather because the those ones can be "cured" and give the mate more flavor over time. There are also modern mates made from materials like silicone or ceramic, but some of them give the mate an unwanted flavor.

 

Mate is usually served from a thermos because of the places where it's usually drunk, but kettles are also used. There are also disposable kits to easily drink it.

 

How is mate pronounced?

It should be pronounced like saying the English word "mat" and then the e is like the one when you say "pet". The stress is on the first syllable.

 

In which regions is it usually drunk?

Mate is the national drink of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Besides those countries, mate is also popular in some areas in Bolivia, Chile and Brazil. Outside of South America, people in Syria in Lebanon also drink it.

In South America it's a tradition taken from the gauchos or vaqueros to drink it, they were the residents of the South American pampas, chacos, and Patagonia. 

The Argentine National Institute of Yerba Mate estimates that every Argentine drinks around 110 litres of mate every year, in many places, like gas stations and public universities, there are machines that hot water provide hot water for free to fill the thermos.

In Uruguay, people commonly walk around the streets with a mate in their hand, and a thermos under their arm. I have seen Uruguayans drinking mate in the bus, and even with the thermos in their bikes.

How and where was it invented?

The matter of were it was invented is always one of discussion, specially between Argentina and Uruguay. This isn't unusual because Argentines and Uruguayans have a very similar culture, so this is common among other topics like dulce de leche, tango, the nationality of Carlos Gardel, and more.

 

However, the Guaraní people started drinking mate, because of it's benefits, in a region that is now areas of Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Uruguay. There's a Guaraní legend that says that the Goddesses of the Moon and the Cloud came to the Earth one day and f a jaguar that was going to attack them. An old man saved them, and in compensation the goddesses gave the old man a new kind of plant from which he could prepare a "drink of friendship"

 

What are the benefits of drinking mate?

 There are many benefits from drinking it:

  • It's very nutritious. It provides the vitamins A, B, C and E, and many minerals and proteins.
  • It's an stimulant and antidepressant. It's properties make it promote mental activity, improving your mood and concentration.
  • It regulates intestinal transit. The properties of yerba mate leaves improve intestinal transit and regulate the functioning of the whole organism.
  • It improves your cardiovascular health. It regulated blood pressure and prevents coronary heart disease.
  • It helps you lose weight. It's antioxidant properties help avoid liquid retention and improves the renal function.
  • It has aesthetic benefits. Yerba mate stimulates and strengthens the teeth, preventing cavities. It also lightens skin spots and reduces wrinkles. 

You could say it kind of makes up for all the asados (barbecues) and unhealthy traditional food we have in Argentina.

 

 What kinds of mate are there?

There are many kinds of mate, here are different ways you can drink it:

  • Bitter, the "original" mate.
  • Sweet. With sugar or honey.
  • Using a tea bag of yerba mate. This is know as mate cocido, or chá mate, or with the name of the brand that locally sells it.
  • With cold water and lemon, or with some kind of juice. In Argentina, the juice typically is from orange. This is called tereré. It's very common in Paraguay, and some areas of Argentina and Brazil. Fun fact: In Brazil calling a regular mate tereré is also a, kind of insulting, way of saying that it isn't hot enough.
  • With many kinds of yerba mate: mixed with other herbs, flavored and with or without plant stems.
  • With milk.
  • With orange peels
  • With lemon
  • With coffee.

People who like the traditional bitter mate, usually dislike the others.

 What should you take into account when making it?

In case you are able to get some yerba mate herbs and want to try mate there are some things you should know.

There are many different ways that are believed to be the "right" way in different regions, like I assume happens with people in the UK and their tea, most methods have common elements but some of this tips are only for one of the many right ways, but the best way. 

 

Besides the mate being from a "curable" material, like wood, it's also better if the part of the bombilla that is submerged is wide so it's easier to take out the yerba.

 

First, you should fill the a 1/2 or 3/4 of the mate with yerba, depending on how strong do you want it to be

The water shouldn't be hotter than 80°C (176°F), the ideal temperature is between 70°C and 85°C. It can't be boiling. Electric kettles in some countries refer to the acceptable range as "mate" temperature

 

When serving it, you should incline the yerba against the wall of the mate at 45°, and put a bit of water little by little. Only then insert the bombilla.

 

Here's a video I found that explains how it's done:

 

 

Then, you can just drink it and remember: DO NOT stir the straw.

 

In which settings is it usually drunk?

Mate is traditionally drunk with friends, in family gatherings or even at work. Of course, you can drink it alone too, but if you're with others it's usually shared. It's normal to drink it whenever you're hanging out with friends, and is commonly seen in parks or places where people can just sit and talk. There are businesses in Buenos Aires to drink it too, like Mate Club, a bar kind of business but with mate, that is also a conversation club in English and Spanish.

It can be drunk at any time of the day, and it's usually accompanied with some kind of pastries.

 

What's the etiquette to drink it in a group of people?

("What?? There is an etiquette to drink it??" Yes, and it's important)

 

To explain the etiquette, here's what happens when you're drinking a traditional mate in a social setting:

 

FYI: the same mate and bombilla is used by everyone. 

 

There's one person who serves it, they are known as the cebador, preparador, cevador or patrão.

Typically the cebador is the first to drink it to make sure it's of good quality. In some places even, passing the first mate to another drinker is considered bad manners as it could be too cold or too strong, because of this the first brew is often called mate del zonzo (mate of the fool).

If it was too cold or too bitter, the second brew is also drunk by the cebador.

 

When the cebador is happy with the quality, they refill the gourd and pass it to the drinker to their right, who drinks it all (because of all the yerba there's room for not so much water) and return it to the cebador without thanking them. The drinker only thanks the server in their last mate as a signal that they had enough, this should be done as they give back the last mate. In Argentina, a simple "gracias" (thank you in Spanish) is fine!

 

The cebador continues passing the mate to the person of the right of the last drinker, unless a new drinker joins. In that case, the new drinker receives the next mate and then the server continues serving the mate by order, when the new drinker will receive the next mate depends on their placement.

 

The ritual continues until the moment where the mate becomes lavado (washed out), that's usually on the 10th time the mate is filled but depends on the age of the yerba and the ability of the server. 

 

More things to take into account:

  • It's impolite for anyone but the server to move the bombilla or mess with the mate in other way, if they do this they might not get another serving.
  • When someone takes too long to drink it, people in the round will usually politely warn them. In Argentina, a phrase that translates to "it's not a microphone" is said when someone isn't drinking the mate because they continue talking, while in other places people say "bring the talking mate". 

 

I didn't write this just with experience, here are the websites whose information I used to make sure I was writing all the information I could:

 Sources: rionegro.com.ar, wikipedia.com, infobae.com, thebubble.com

 

As you can see, mate is not just a drink, it really is part of our cultures and something involved in our social lives. I believe it's like beers to Germans and tea to the British, but maybe more social and with a whole etiquette to drink it.

 

Thank you for reading!

 

Have you ever tried mate? Which kind did you prefer?

Let us know in the comments

Argentina
30 comments
Connect Moderator

Re: Mate: everything you need to know

Es un post muy completo el que presentaste @Jesi 👏👍, bien documentado y con muchos detalles, no dejaste ningún punto sin tocar, la parte que más me gusto fue la etiqueta para tomase mate, jajaja la leía y me reía por dentro nada más cierto, cuando uno se queda con el ja te en la mano y no lo devuelve “no es micrófono 🎤 “ jajaja 

El vídeo que incluiste ilustra muy bien cómo prepararlo me encanto. 

 

 49726402-C27C-4B2F-81D3-6CFA91964ED5.jpeg

 

Si desean leer un poco más de la yerba mate pueden leer un poco más aquí  

 

Principales destinos de la yerba mate argentinaPrincipales destinos de la yerba mate argentina

Saludos Farid

Level 8

Re: Mate: everything you need to know

Level 8

Re: Mate: everything you need to know

Wow, it looks interesting, thanks for sharing @Jesi

Namaste

Niraj

Level 9

Re: Mate: everything you need to know

Hello @Jesi

It is great post!

Thank you for such interesting information,useful tips,excellent video with detail description recipe ,nice photos.

I have never tried mate.

But now I discovered.  for myself nice drink.

Best wishes,

 

Connect Moderator

Re: Mate: everything you need to know

Hi @Jesi while I appreciate your sentiment and that you have gone to some effort to reword this, much of it is taken from websites such as wikipedia and the images are from the internet so this content looks as though it is your own when it is not. Copyright and plagiarism are serious. There is a zero tolerance policy of plagiarism on Connect. Please read the Core Values of Connect  and remember the Local Guides Rules.

Your own words and images are so much more powerful.

Connect Moderator

Re: Mate: everything you need to know

@PaulPavlinovich thank you for telling me, I understand. I did take information I didn't know about other countries or wasn't sure about the best way to explain from websites, but I never copied and pasted and I did write most of it with my own words. I just went to sources to make sure I could add all the information I could.

I'm sorry it looked as though the photos were mine, that was never my intention. I don't have good enough photos of mate or tereré, and have never taken photos of South American celebrities drinking it, but I agree that it would be better if they were mine.

Was or will this post be removed, or if I add the sources at the end, and copyright in the photos it would be fine?

Connect Moderator

Re: Mate: everything you need to know

Hi @Jesi it is possible a Googler may remove it. In this case I would hope not because you did go to efforts to reword the content and use your own words. Unless you've got permission to use the photos, I would remove them and substitute with images of your own if you have any.

 

Regards Paul

Connect Moderator

Re: Mate: everything you need to know

@PaulPavlinovich I edited the post to remove the photos and will remember to not make the same mistakes on my next posts. Thank you for the warning and advice!

 

Connect Moderator

Re: Mate: everything you need to know

Thank you, @helga19! As you might have read in the comments, the photos that were in the post before weren't taken by me, but the one that's now was. It's the mate my mom drinks from everyday 🙂

I hope you are able to try it someday and find the kind you like the most!