Here's how to prepare your yerba mate.

Yerba mate is the actual leaves and twigs that are used to make the drink. The drink itself is called mate and is the national drink in Uruguay and Argentina. This drink is often drunk amongst friends from a shared hollow gourd with a metal straw is a social practice in Paraguay and parts of Chile, Brazil, Lebanon, and Syria.

This drink is served with a metal straw from a shared hollow calabash gourd. The straw is called a bombilla in Spanish, a bomba in Portuguese, and a masassa in Arabic and is traditionally made of silver.

Choosing your flavor:

Yerba mate is grown mainly in South America, more specifically in Northern Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and southern Brazil. What affects the taste usually depends on where it was grown, when it was harvested, how it was processed, and by when it reaches you (it's age).

You can go with the traditional flavor (without any sweeteners or flavoring). You can choose one that is with or without twigs. Some types are less strong in flavor and others are very strong. Fruit flavored yerba mate is also available. Also, one can add sweeteners to their drink if they want!

If you do not want to prepare this the traditional way, use tea bags instead. (just remember, use hot water, not boiling water!)

There is also a powdered form which you can just put in hot or cold water, and voila! You have your own yerba mate drink within several seconds. Also, for those who are concerned for the environment, organic yerba mate is available.

And, if you are not interested in preparing it the traditional way, don't want to use tea bags, and are just looking for an easy way to take it with you wherever you go, you can have your yerba mate in a bottle!

Preparing the yerba mate:

The method of preparing the yerba mate infusion varies considerably from region to region, and it is hotly debated which method yields the finest brew. But all methods have certain common elements: the gourd is nearly

filled with yerba mate, and hot water (70–80C / 160–180F), but not boiling water, is added. The reason for that is that high temperature destroys the more delicate flavors and aromas and causes the appearance of unwanted ones (bitterness, for example).

Knowing how to prepare a mate properly is the key to a pleasant, lasting flavor. An excellent yerba can be ruined by a bad start, turning bitter, aggressive and short lived.

The most common preparation involves a careful arrangement of the yerba mate within the gourd before adding the hot water.

1. The gourd is first filled 1/2 to 3/4 of the way with yerba. After that, any additional herbs may be added for either health or flavor benefits.

2. The yerba is then moistened to one side of the gourd with a little cold or lukewarm water.

3. Wait for a good 30 seconds so that the water will be absorbed. What you should be seeing now is the yerba on one side of gourd and an empty space.

4. Next, insert the bombilla in the empty space. Make sure that you keep your thumb over the top entrance of the bombilla as you are inserting it into the gourd.

5. And now, you're ready to put in the hot water, always below boiling point. Pour the water near the bombilla at the beginning, and then, advance towards the center of the gourd.

Inserting the bombilla.

The bombilla acts as both a straw and a sieve. The submerged end is flared, with small holes or slots that allow the brewed liquid in, but block the chunky matter that makes up much of the mixture.

Many people choose to pour warm water into the gourd before adding the bombilla, while others insist that the bombilla is best inserted into dry yerba.

By putting the water in first, it allows the yerba to be more compact and solid. Dry yerba, on the other hand, allows a cleaner and easier insertion of the bombilla. But you have to be careful not to disturb the arrangement of the yerba.

Whichever way the mate is prepared is a decision that is entirely up to the drinker or cultural preference. The bombilla is inserted with your thumb on the upper end of the bombilla, at an angle roughly perpendicular to the slope of the yerba, so that its filtering end travels into the deepest part of the yerba and comes to rest near or against the opposite wall of the gourd.

Drinking the mate.

Mate is traditionally drunk at family gatherings or with friends. One person assumes the task of server. The server fills the gourd and drinks the mate completely to ensure that it is free of particulate matter and of good quality. The server subsequently refills the gourd and passes it to the next drinker who drinks it all, without thanking the server.

The ritual proceeds around the circle in this fashion until the mate becomes "washed out" or "flat", typically after the gourd has been filled about ten times or more depending on the yerba used (well-aged yerba mate is typically more potent, and therefore provides a greater number of refills). When one has had his fill of mate, he or she politely thanks the server passing the mate back at the same time.

The drink has a sharp taste which is like a cross between green tea and coffee. Some drinkers like to add sugar or honey, creating a sweet mate, instead of a bitter mate. It is considered bad for the gourd (especially for the natural, squash or wood, ones) to be used for sweet mate so it is normal for households with drinkers of both kinds to have two separate gourds.

Traditionally, natural gourds, made of ceramic or metal (stainless steel or silver) are common. Gourds are commonly decorated with silver, sporting decorative or heraldic designs with floral motifs.

It is common for a black mold to grow inside the gourd when it is stored. Some people will clean this out, others consider it an enhancement to the mate flavor.

Brewing yerba mate:

It can be brewed just like any loose tea. The one thing that you have to keep in mind is that it infuses slower than your loose tea would. Also, you don't want to add boiling water to the mate. The reason for that is that high temperature destroys the more delicate flavors and aromas and causes the appearance of unwanted ones (bitterness, for example). You want to add hot water (70–80C / 160–180F).

Storing yerba mate the right way:

It must be stored in an airtight container that protects it from light and humidity, away from strong-smelling foods and cleaning products that might contaminate it. Wouldn't want your drink to taste like some cleaning supply or fish, would you now?

Also, after opening a package of yerba mate, it must be consumed within two years, otherwise, it will become stale and that doesn't taste good!

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