Mate, unusual but fantastic (Mate (Beverage))

Member Name: llamass

Product:	Mate (Beverage)
Date:	25/06/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good for you and refreshing

Disadvantages: Can be an aquired taste

Mate is an institution in Uruguay and Argentina as well as being drunk in other South American countries and being invited to drink it with locals is something of a rite of passage into society.

The drink is made with chopped leaves of the mate yerba plant which has many effects on the body. Like coffee or tea it is a light stimulant that wards off fatigue and it also increases the metabolism. Additionally mate has many vitamins and minerals as well as being an antioxidant so can be good for your all-round wellbeing.

Drinking mate has a strict social code associated with it and the procedure is as much part of the enjoyment as the drink itself. First of all mate is drunk from a mate gourd, or a holder made from the hollowed outer layer of the fruit of the calabash tree. The infusion is sucked through a straw (bombilla in Spanish) which is specially designed so that it acts as a filter and the yerba isn't swallowed by the drinker. The yerba fills the gourd and then topped up with hot but not boiling water (which can make it more bitter). If there is a group drinking then the gourd is passed from person to person but each person should drink the gourd dry before it is refilled and the next person takes it. It isn't very acceptable to hold onto it for too long and so the yerba is drunk when it is still very hot which can take a bit of getting used to. Of course it is still very enjoyable without other people but is best when it isn't allowed to cool down too much.

The taste can be strange at first for the uninitiated as it is quite strong and a little bitter. A friend of mine described it as if the taste of 10 cups of tea had been squashed into one-it is slightly smokey and pungent. The first time I tried Mate I didn't find it unpleasant although it was quite odd but with every successive time I found it grew on me until I loved it. For having a strong taste it is also refreshing and thirst quenching so perfect for when you are worn down.

Summary: Definitely try it!