(click to enlarge)

Maté


Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Chile   -   Mate
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 Lots
**
10 min
No		 The favorite beverage of the South American Southern Cone. Here we present a practical method for North Americans. See also Background and Traditional.

4
32
T
oz
Yerba Mate (1)
Water 170°F/77°C  
Make   -   (10 min)
  1. Bring Water to a boil, then let it cool to 170°F/77°C, but no lower than 150°F/ 66°C.
  2. Place 4 T Herba Mate in a French Press.
  3. Pour in just enough cool water to saturate the Herba Mate, letting it sit for a minute until fully expanded.
  4. Pour in the hot water and let steep for 4 minute, giving it a gentle stir. Then press down with the plunger, but not too fast. It is now ready to drink.
  5. Repeat (skipping the cool water) until the beverage gets weak.
NOTES:

  1. Yerba Mate:

      This herb is leaves harvested from a shrub, that in the wild can grow into a tree over 40 feet high. It is widely available in North America, on-line and from multi-ethnic markets. For details see our Yerba Mate page.

  2. Background:

      This beverage was adopted from Guaraní and Tupí peoples of Paraguay, who had been drinking it from pre-Columbian times. The name Maté (Spanish "Mate") is both the gourd from which it is traditionally consumed, and the beverage itself. It is drunk from the gourd (or today often from a special cup) using a straw called a bombilla, usually of metal with a strainer at the bottom end. This strainer is not needed for the recipe above, but definitely is for Mate made the traditional way.

  3. Traditional:

      Traditionally, serving Mate is the South American equivalent of a Japanese Tea Ceremony. It requires an experienced Cebador and well trained guests. This is not very practical in North America, as anyone who has tried to organize buffet guests to do something the "right way" will assure you. If you do want the traditional method, you will find it in great detail on this Mate (drink) Wikipedia page.

  4. Variations:

      Some include with their Maté Mint, Ginger, or other herbs. Yerba Mate is also brewed in cold ice water to produce the beverage Tereré.
  5. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
axv_mate1 220923 var inet   -   www.clovegarden.com
©Andrew Grygus - agryg@aaxnet.com - Linking to and non-commercial use of this page is permitted.