Mate

This drink is very popular for its side energizing and his bitterness . It is particularly appreciated by athletes who find in this drink a boost, ideal for their activity. It is also called Jesuit tea.

Where does mate come from?

Contrary to popular belief, mate does not come from a tea tree. Mate comes from a plant called Yerba Mate which is up to 20 meters high. It is produced in South America, more precisely in Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina thanks to their temperate climate.

Virtues and benefits of mate

Mate is chosen for its energizing virtues and promoting weight loss or as a drink that helps fight against fatigue . Mate can be drunk neat in the traditional way or accompanied by green tea. Often it can be associated with detox teas in order to strengthen its antioxidant content .

Mate brings together several other virtues such as the reduction of cholesterol, sugar, it fully participates in weight loss. The advantage of mate, it does not cause palpitation like coffee. Each type of mate will reveal more or less bitterness, it is advisable to use fair trade mate in order to respect the remuneration of producers.

Production of mate tea

As mentioned above, mate is produced in South America. Production begins with a selection of seeds that are planted in a greenhouse until they reach 7 cm. Before being sent to a farm, they spend between 9 and 12 months developing. The choice of planting will be decisive on the result in cup.

For example, a mate that is planted in full sun will reveal bitterness and a mate planted in the shade or under trees, for example, will be sweeter in cup.

For harvesting, the leaves and stems are separated from the trunk manually or mechanically. To stop the fermentation process, the leaf is brought close to a flame for a maximum of 30 seconds. There is also the possibility of drying using a rotating tube. Subsequently, the leaves are cut and then passed through a sieve to remove all impurities before being packed in 50 kg bags.

As with tea and coffee, the preparation of mate must be carried out by respecting important steps. Whether it's temperature, brewing time or how it's brewed. The taste of mate is close to green tea for its herbaceous side and coffee for its power.

It is prepared by steeping the leaves in a calabash and is always accompanied by a filter straw . It can be prepared from many ways , the traditional method is to use a calabash, a bombilla which is a straw with a filter on its end.

Steps in the preparation of mate

• To start, pour 4 tablespoons of mate into the gourd.
• Heat water to 80 °C (it is essential to respect the temperature).
• Pre-infuse for two minutes by moistening with lukewarm water (40 °C).
• Add the bombilla (straw). Gently pour the hot water around the bombilla. If the bitterness is too much, you can add water. Next time, do not hesitate to reduce the quantity of mate, it will reduce the bitterness.

It is possible to prepare your mate using a teaball , this method is called "Cocido" . It consists of moistening the dose of mate with cold water before inserting it into a tea ball and pouring water at 80 °C, waiting 5 minutes and removing the infuser. If you leave the tea infuser longer, the mate will reveal bitterness in your drink.

You can also infuse your mate with a teapot, the method remains similar: Measure 4 spoonfuls of mate into the container, prepare a pre-infusion by moistening the mate leaves. Leave to rest for a few minutes. Then, pour 50 cl of water at 80 °C. After 5 minutes, you can press the plunger and enjoy your drink.

The calabash

It is often prepared in a calabash before being shared. A calabash is originally a squash which grew for 6 to 12 months before being dried for 6 months. Subsequently, it is hollowed out and sculpted by hand to give it its authentic style.

The complete production can take between 13 months for a classic calabash and 19 months for an imperial type calabash. Mate is a convivial drink that has been shared for millennia.

The Bombilla

The bombilla is a straw which is used in the calabash for tasting mate. It's about a usually flattened straw on the part that is put in the mouth and with a filter on the other end so as not to let the maté leaves pass and to keep a pleasant infusion to taste.