El Mate

     I guess one of the first strange things a foreigner notices when coming for the first time to Uruguay is the Mate. You go out for a walk and you see all around you people with a thermos flask under their arm and a strange egg shaped thing with a silver something sticking out of the top. You see they pour water from the thermos and then sip from that strange metallic straw. You have been introduced to one, maybe the most important, of Uruguay´s customs. The MATE.

     The Mate is an infusion that is drunk in Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and some parts of Chile. It is made from the leaves of the "yerba mate" (Ilex paraguayensis) dried, cut and ground. It is a tonic and antioxidant and helps to reduce cholesterol.

     The elements used in the process are the following:

     * The Yerba (herb): there are many different brands, being "Canaria" probably the most popular in Uruguay.

     * The Mate: the vase in which the yerba is placed. It is, usually egg shaped and has a narrow mouth. Originally it was made from a kind of pumpkin but nowadays they can be found made of silver, leather, wood, porcelain or glass. The important thing is that the egg/pumpkin shape be maintained.

     * The Bombilla: the "straw" that is used to sip the mate. It is usually made of metal (sometimes silver). It has three parts: The mouthpiece: sometimes curved to make it more comfortable when sipping. It usually has some metal ring that serves as decoration and also to avoid excessive temperature of the metal in order to protect the lips.
        The tube: through which the liquid passes.
        The bulb: an oblong piece, full of holes, that strains the herb and allows the liquid to pass.
        The Water: the temperature of the water must be around 60° / 80° C (140° / 176° F). It must never boil because then it looses oxygen and causes the mate to lose flavour.

    The Process:
    The yerba is poured into the Mate, almost up to the top. The bombilla is pushed inside the Mate until the bulb reaches the bottom. A little bit of water, usually cold, is poured in to "wet" the yerba. Then hot water is poured until it floods the yerba without drowning it. Just enough water. Usually the first sip is not very tasty because the yerba is not ready. Then you sip until the yerba goes dry, no more liquid comes up, and you pour water again. This is repeated until either you run out of water, or the yerba is so used up that it becomes tasteless.

    The yerba mate has a very bitter taste, but not unpleasant. In Argentina and Chile it is sometimes sweetened with sugar to make it less bitter. That would be unthinkable in Uruguay. In Argentina they also make an infusion type drink using the yerba mate called "mate cocido". That is also considered a "sin" by Uruguayans.

    The Mate ceremony is usually a social activity in which it is shared by a group of friends or co-workers. In this ceremony there is one person who acts as cebador, the one who always pours the water into the mate. He pours the first one and sips it as it is the least tasteful one. Then he pours again and passes it on to somebody else. That person sips until the water runs out and gives it back to the cebador. He pours water again and passes it to somebody else. This way the Mate goes round and round and everybody is part of the ceremony. If somebody, when he hands the mate back to the cebador, says gracias (thank you) it means he does not want to sip anymore and will not be handed the mate again.

    I have met quite a few foreigners who have become "addicted" to the yerba mate. You might want to try it, you never know. It will be an interesting experience. A good way to start is to participate in a ceremony with some Uruguayan friends. You might like it and start wondering how much yerba you will have to take everytime you go back home.