Ideal Bite

Mate tastes terrible. I went to our local co-op here in Bozeman, MT, to buy some for a friend. Jen, you reside here, so you'll get the general lay of the land. Two granola-type workers at the co-op said they couldn't stand the stuff either and I have to agree. Whatever its benefits, if you can't choke it down, all is lost. How does one tolerate this brew? I can make almost any non-lethal substance palatable, but this one escapes me. Yours, Ross Bellingham

well, I have never heard of the stuff, but since Ross says it is unpalatable, just makes me curious enough to try it. I will try most anything once. Sometimes I will give it a second try before I make my decision. So, where do you find this concoction? Starbucks?? I don't ever go there. A coffee shop in the mall?? Ummm, Borders Books and Music has a coffee shop. thanks

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-he-nutrition16-2009mar16,0,695... http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/yerba-mate/AN01774

I just read Charlotte's comment, and it is true that mate can lead to increased risk of cancer and stomach ulcers, and that is because it is drinken at near-boiling temperatures. You must understand that in south america, people drink mate every day for hours at a time. They are pretty much slowly burning away the tissue that lines their mouth, esophagus, and stomach. If mate is drinken at a cooler temperature these risks are greatly reduced. Also, like I said before, tereré poses none of these risks and is, in my opinion, much tastier than mate anyway!

Most American yerbas just don't have the same flavor as South American ones. Though yerba starts off quite bitter, the more times you pour water into it, the more pleasant it becomes. Also, water is commonly boiled with different herbs to add flavor, as well as placing herbs above the yerba in the guampa (mate cup). Ha'a He'e,or stevia, for example, is a leaf that is almost 300x more potent than that of sugar and when placed in the guampa gives mate a deliciously sweet flavor. It's traditional that the one serving the mate drinks the first few rounds, the most bitter, and the guampa is then passed around as the flavor becomes more and more pleasing. It is as much a social activity as an activity of simply quenching thirst. Mate is passed between friends and family as a time to talk and bond. I'm disappointed that you didn't mention Tereré! Mate's Paraguayan brother, which uses yerba and water mixed with more refresing herbs which is drinken cold! Honesetly, I'm not one for mate, it's too dang hot and the metal bombilla burns my lips, but I can't get enough tereré! If you find mate too bitter, tereré is generally more mild after the first few rounds and can be compared to a chilled green tea.

If you go on-line and google yerba mate you will find a HUGE array of mate available from differant parts of South and Central America at much cheaper prices than we find here in the U.S. The taste is much differant from one type to another as well. It is much like wine tasting, each having it's own character. There are also flavored mates available. You can buy with stems or without, organic or not, mild, strong etc... It's fun to try them all and pick your favorite. I like Mission Natural and Alianza Agricola.

I'm so stupidly proud that you talked about mate today! I'm from Argentina, one of the main mate drinking countries. The mate's flavour (just as any other flavour) is something that you have to get used to. Alright, it is bitter, but so is beer. Good steps for beginners are: starting with milk instead of water, then water but adding sugar, and finally just bitter. This last one is the real one. Though it is a social activity, we drink it by ourselves too. It just lasts longer then tea. When I'm thirsty I drink cold water, this is something else. About the boiling water, Elizabeth made a mistake. Mate MUST NOT be prepared with boiling water, if you do that you ruin it (it loses the flavour right away). The ideal is water at 80ºC (176º F), which is colder than tea and expresso. Yerba mate could be prepared the same way that tea (boiling water, in a cup), which is called "mate cocido" ("cooked mate") but it tastes really different this way. Mate with bombilla is the best. And please, oh please, if you start trying mate, do it with the real one, don't make these weird mixes with vanilla and chocolate. It sounds like heresy to me :)

Well, I don't know how eco is this company, I'm not recommending the brand, this link is just for those who want to know "How to make a good mate": http://www.lasmarias.com.ar/eng/yerba-mate-preparation.htm (in english).

I have just returned from Argentina where I spent 3 months. I was first introduced to the herbal tea by a few girls sitting around a table chatting and drinking from the Mate. My initial reaction after taking a sip was the facial expresion one makes after drinking something very bitter. No gracias! They laughed... It took me roughly 3 weeks after spending one of those in Uruguay to become a complete addict. I must say it is very relaxing to drink with friends in a social setting. I felt the pick up ones gets from coffee but without the jitters. It ultimately was the social get togethers that made mate that much more appealing. Everyone shares the same mate which would seem odd here in the states, but they don't possess all of the paranoias we do. Just wish I could meet some people back in San Francisco to keep the tradition going.

It's also not pronounced ma-TAY, the correct pronunciation is MAH-teh (like the "te" in terra firma. The accent is suppose to be on teh "MA" syllable. Also for tips on how to prepare it go to wikipedia. Boiling water should not be used. Mate is an acquired taste. It's also fun to drink.