Yerba Mate in the Parque

Post by Ella.

I’ve been fascinated and curious about the mate tradition in Argentina. Pronounced MA-tay. Yerba comes from hierbia which means herbs. Everywhere, you see people carrying their mate cup like we carry our Starbucks coffee. Except it’s not styrofoam or cardboard with a firmly fitting lid. The mate cup, also called a mate, is open and you can see the heap of herbs and a metal “straw”.

The mate (cup) has no handle. Traditionally made from a gourd, leather or a cow’s hoof,  but now you can find wood, metal with wood insert, and ceramic. Just don’t order a plastic one from Amazon. The straws are metal with a slight bend. Everything is endlessly reusable.

The herb that forms the bulk of a mate mix is from a native species of the Holly plant which grows in forests in South America. But you can buy blends. Or create your own. Favorites are with orange and with mint. 

We tried both the pure herb and one blend with orange. Grubb preferred the earthier flavor of the pure herb. I preferred the orange mix. 

Mate is a shared, social drink. One person prepares and the mate cup is passed around, usually it’s two friends but sometimes, a circle of friends. All drinking from the same straw. Can you imagine that in the United States? The pandemic threw a kink in the works. A once social, sharing custom had to be done in isolation. But now, the sharing has returned and everyone is happy about that.

Let me back up a moment. You can’t go into a cafe or restaurant and order Yerba mate. It’s a personal drink prepared with care. To understand the tradition, preparation and to taste, I had signed up for a one hour crash course in Mate provided by a local woman, Noeillia. We met at the Fountain of the Continents in San Martin Parque at 6pm. It was Sunday and the park was full of people enjoying the day.

Noeillia led us into the park where she spread a square of fabric and laid out the implements. She introduced us to the mate (the cup) and the mate (the herb) and the mate (the prepared drink). Noeillia speaks less English than we do Spanish so she had brought along a friend who translated what we couldn’t understand. And vice versa. 

There is a certain preparation process. Thus. Pour the herbs into the cup filling it about halfway way. Place the flat of your palm over the opening, turn the cup quickly upside down and right side up. Once is enough. This is to rid the herbs of any powdered bits. Sugar can be added if desired. We both opted to try it straight.

Angle the cup a bit and shake so that an area is formed where you can pour the hot water. Pour a little at a time. Let it soak in then a little more and repeat. You want to leave the herbs on top dry. Now, take your metal straw and holding your thumb over the drinking end, place the straw in the area with the least herbs. It should come to rest lightly on the bottom. Sip.

The hot water comes from a thermos. Tall, slender. I didn’t get a picture but you see people carry them around in the crook of their arm. In some places, cold juice has been used instead of hot water.

The Guaranj people of Paraguay are credited for the origin of the drink. But the drink has spread to Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile.

Take care. Mate is naturally caffeinated. I didn’t do a deep dive into the health benefits, but it is known to have antioxidants and some nutritional value linked with weight management. Of course with caffeine, you’ve got that energy boost.

Noeillia left us with a gift. An instant version. If you are really in a pinch, all you need is hot water. Cup ‘o Mate.