How To Drink Mate
Before you arrive on Buenos Aires’ streets and think everyone is smoking illegal substances out in the open, be warned that although this so-called ‘mate’ is simple herbs and perfectly legal in every sense of the word, it is still highly addictive in taste, and will make you wish you had your own thermos to lug around and enjoy this hot drink whenever you can!
So first, the basics. You will need a gourd (the circular hand-held bowl), the bombilla (the straw), the yerba mate (the herbs that make up the actual tea-like substance), and of course, a thermos to keep your water at the perfect temperature. So now that we have all of that confusing terminology down, let’s get brewing!
Mate is made by pouring the yerba mate into the gourd until it is about ¾ full. You then cover the mouth (opening) of the gourd with your hand and shake for a couple of seconds to make sure the smallest particles don’t block up your straw later on. Placing the gourd back in a normal position, you pour warm water over the leaves so that they become wet. You then take your bombilla and insert it so that the filter is touching the bottom of the gourd. Once your water has boiled, you can pour it over the leaves, and you’re all set to start sipping away!
Mate is something that is very deeply embedded in South American culture, and is a very typical, and shockingly common item to see in the hands of many Argentinians on the streets of Buenos Aires. It’s particularly favored to carry along when you’re going on long adventures, sitting in parks, or just enjoying the company of others. Drinking mate is a very communal activity to be shared with others, so let’s hope there’s not too many germophobes out there reading this!
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