Before coming to Argentina, I had heard of mate, the cold, bitter drink of the gauchos (Cowboys). I was surprised to see almost everyone, in the streets, parks and at work, drinking mate out of little gourds or wooden cups with silver straws. In fact, I was told that about 98% of the Argentine populations drinks mate. Thus, I wanted to know more and requested a Mate Workshop during one of my Spanish classes in Buenos Aires. The Spanish school was very kind and arranged one for me with Diana, one of the teachers!
Mate is not only a social drink but it is also a right of passage of childhood into adulthood. It is an Argentine custom that is shared between all ages and between all social classes and backgrounds.
Often, when you arrive at someone's home, you will be asked, 'would you like some mate?' (unos mate?) Some take it bitter and some take it sweet with sugar.
When I mentioned to a man selling mate from a little wagon in San Telmo that I had never tried it, I was immediately treated to a cup of sweet mate... And I quite liked it! It is a honor to be treated to a mate.
In Quechua, mate means squash
A bit of vocabulary:
Yerba - green tea leaves that are rich in antioxidants. There is a bit of caffeine but not as much as coffee.
Bombilla - silver straw with holes on the bottom to drink mate
Cebar - someone who serves mate.
Some background:
Who serves the mate? Only the cebador.
How to you drink mate correctly? Only when the mate is finished, then you pass the mate back to the cebador.
What should you not do? Drink a little and then pass it on. And, you should not touch, and especially not swirl, the bombilla.
When do you say thank you? When you do not want any more.
Traditionally, what is the significance of a cold mate? Being scorned.
How to make mate:
* credit: Guayaki
Enjoy!
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