What is mate?
Mate is the national drink of Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, and it is also popular in southern Brazil. It is made from yerba mate, the dried and ground leaves of a tree native to the region (Ilex paraguariensis), and drunk with hot water through a bombilla, a metal straw with a filter at the tip.
But mate is much more than a drink. It is an excuse to get together, to talk, to take a break. In Argentina people drink it at home, at the office, in the park, at university and on the road. And it is shared: one person, the cebador, prepares the mate and passes it around, one person at a time, always with the same bombilla.
If you come to Patagonien and order a mate, this is exactly what you get: a traditional mate, brewed the Argentine way, with imported yerba. If you have never tried it, this guide will tell you what to expect and how to make it at home.
What you need
- A mate. The gourd itself is also called a "mate". The classic one is a dried calabash, but you will also find them in wood, glass, ceramic or stainless steel. Any of them is fine to start with.
- A bombilla. The metal straw with a filter. It rests on the bottom and keeps the yerba out.
- Yerba mate. It comes with stems (con palo), without stems, finely or coarsely ground, with herbs. For beginners, a traditional yerba with stems is the mildest.
- Hot water, not boiling. Between 75 and 80 °C. This is the single most important detail in the whole guide. A thermos flask lets you keep brewing for an hour without going back to the kitchen.
Step by step
- Prepare the yerba Fill the mate about three quarters full with yerba. Cover the opening with your hand, turn it upside down and shake it vigorously for a few seconds. This mixes the fine and coarse parts and brings the dust to the top, away from the bombilla, so it will not clog.
- Shape the little hill Turn the mate back over while tilting it about 45 degrees, so the yerba rests against one side. You now have a dry "hill" on one side and a hollow on the other. The hollow is where the water goes.
- Insert the bombilla Pour a splash of lukewarm water into the hollow, without wetting the hill, and let the yerba soak it up for a minute. Then push the bombilla into that damp spot, covering the mouthpiece with your thumb so no air gets in and it does not clog. Once it is in place, it does not move again.
- Pour Pour the hot water (75 to 80 °C) from the thermos, always close to the bombilla and always in the same spot. The idea is to wet only that part of the yerba and keep the hill dry. This makes the mate last much longer.
- Drink and repeat The first mate is the strongest and, by custom, the cebador drinks it. Then you pour again and pass it to the next person. Each mate is drunk to the end, until the bombilla gurgles, and handed back to the cebador. When the yerba loses its flavour it is "washed out" (*lavado*), and you can replace the wet part with fresh yerba.
The trick that changes everything: boiling water burns the yerba. The mate turns bitter, washes out quickly and burns your mouth on top of that. If you have no thermometer, switch the kettle off when the first small bubbles start rising, before it boils.
The most common mistakes
- Boiling water. We said it already, but it is mistake number one.
- Moving or stirring the bombilla. It clogs and everything mixes. The bombilla goes in once and is never touched again.
- Wetting all the yerba at once. Without the dry hill, the mate washes out after three or four pours.
- Saying "gracias" too early. In the round, "gracias" means "I don't want any more". If you say thanks when you receive the mate, the cebador will not hand it to you again.
- Holding on to the mate. It is not a coffee to sip slowly. You drink it all and hand it back so the round keeps going.
How mate is shared
Mate has its unwritten rules, and they are part of the fun. There is only one cebador, and they are the one pouring the water. They drink the first, most bitter mate themselves and then pour for everyone else, following the order of the round. Each person drinks the whole mate and hands it back without a word. Only when you do not want any more do you say "gracias".
Mate is drunk amargo, plain, or dulce, with sugar or honey. Orange peel, mint, lemon verbena or a splash of coffee are also popular additions. In summer, in northern Argentina and Paraguay, people drink tereré: the same yerba, but with ice-cold water or juice.
Frequently asked questions
Does mate contain caffeine?
Yes. Yerba mate contains caffeine (sometimes called "mateine", but it is the same molecule). One mate has less caffeine than an espresso, but since you drink many in a row, you do feel it. The effect is gentle and sustained, without the spike of coffee.
Is it very bitter?
The bitterness is similar to a strong green tea. The first pours are the most intense. If it is too much, try a mild yerba, one with herbs, or add a little sugar.
Can I use a plastic straw or skip the bombilla?
It is not the same. The bombilla filters the yerba. Without it you would be drinking the leaves. If you have no bombilla, you can make mate cocido: yerba in a tea bag or strained, like a tea. It is a different thing, but also delicious.
How long does one mate last?
With the hill technique, one filling of yerba lasts 15 to 25 pours, which is a whole one-litre thermos.
Try it at Patagonien
At Patagonien we serve traditional mate, brewed properly, with imported premium yerba. You will find it under "Mate, Matcha & more" on our menu. If it is your first time, let us know and we will explain how to drink it. And if you are Argentine and homesick, now you know where to find us.
And nothing goes better with it than our handmade alfajores: with dulce de leche, cornstarch or chocolate. A classic combination.
