The Art of Drinking Yerba Mate 
My fellow mate drinkers--note the gourds and bombillas.
Learn more about Uruguay in International Living Postcards--your daily escape
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Montevideo, Uruguay The first time I tried mate was in Montevideo. On a break during a bus tour, the guide and driver offered me my first taste. They stared at me, wide eyed, as I started sipping. Out of politeness, I told them that it had an unusual taste (in fact, it was bitter and grassy). They insisted that I have more. That was before I knew the rules of drinking mate. Yerba mate is a popular tea-like drink enjoyed in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Brazil. It originated with the Guarani Indians of Paraguay and Argentina. Yerba Mate is a tree, a member of the holly family. The plant needs about 25 years to develop in the wild. You can recognize a mate drinker by the thermos nuzzled in the crook of his arm while the gourd and bombilla are held in the opposite hand. A "snoring" sound is expected as you finish the last drops of the tea from the hollow gourd or mate. If you don't hear the noise, then you have broken one of the drinking rules--never sip only once; sip it all. Prepared in a cured gourd, the minced leaves are first steeped with hot or cold water. Next, hot water is poured to cover the leaves. Take a sip through the bombilla (a wooden or metal decorated straw). It has a strainer at the bottom to keep leaf pieces out of the drink. Mate is traditionally shared between close friends and family. The ceremony begins with the host--he or she is the only one who pours the hot water from the thermos. They will then sip the infusion until there is air coming from the bombilla. The next person takes their turn with additional hot water poured over the leaves. It is usually passed around until there is no flavor left. Mate is a taste many people try to acquire since it is known as a healthy drink. It is attributed to improving digestion, sustaining energy levels, detoxifying blood, and inducing mental clarity. While practicing the art of drinking mate, be gracious--keep to yourself any worries about the germ aspect of sharing, do not complain that it is too hot, do not ask for sugar. A professional user will not stir the gourd nor change the order of sharing. It is a time to be together, laugh, and tell stories with friends or family. Whatever etiquette mistakes you make, do not complain about the host getting the first sip since it is the strongest! Sandra Kennedy,
For International Living [Don't miss out. Get your free IL Postcards subscription today.] | 
