DURING YOUR STAY IN THE ESTANCIA YOU SHOULDN´T FORGET TO DRINK MATE 

MATE is a traditional South American caffeine-rich infused drink, that was first consumed by the Guaraní . In the last centuries, it became particularly popular in Argentina

PREPARATION

It is prepared by steeping dried leaves of yerba mate in hot water and is served with a metal straw from a shared-hollow calabash gourd. The straw is called a bombilla in Spanish. The straw is traditionally made of silver. Modern, commercially available straws are typically made of nickelsilver (called alpaca), stainless steel, or hollow-stemmed cane. The gourd is known as a mate or a guampa . Even if the water is supplied from a modern thermos, the infusion is traditionally drunk from mates or cuias.

The mate leaves are dried, chopped, and ground into a powdery mixture called yerba, which means “herbs”. The bombilla functions 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. A modern bombilla design uses a straight tube with holes, or a spring sleeve to act as a sieve.

CULTURE

Mate has a strong cultural significance both in terms of national identity and well as socially. Mate is the national drink of Argentina, Paraguay, where it is also consumed with either hot or ice-cold water (terere), and Uruguay.

Drinking mate is a common social practice in parts of Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and eastern Bolivia. Throughout the Southern Cone, it is considered to be a tradition taken from the gauchos or vaqueros, terms commonly used to describe the old residents of the South American pampas, chacos, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, southeastern Bolivia, southern Chile, and southern Brazil.

More information:
www.argentinapoloday.com.ar

www.rutadelayerbamate.org.ar