YERBA MATE

Legendary Beginning
The Guaran people started drinking mate in the
region that now includes Paraguay, southern
Brazil, north-east Argentina, and Uruguay. The
Guaran have a legend that says that the
Goddesses of the Moon and the Cloud came to
the Earth one day to visit it but they instead
found a Yaguarete (a kind of jaguar) that was
going to attack them. An old man saves them,
and, in compensation, the Goddesses gave the
old man a new kind of plant, from which he
could prepare a "drink of friendship".

A Little Vocab
Yerba- name of the plant
Mate- the receptacle, gourd, often referred to the drink
itself
Guampa- also the receptacle, when it is made out of cow
horn
Bombilla- the metallic straining straw
Cebador- the server
Mate del zonzo- mate of the fool, the first drink
Mate lavado- washed out, when the mate has lost its flavor
Terere- a cold/iced version
Mate cocido- boiled/brewed and sweetened
Yuyos- herbs put in water for medicinal purposes

Pictures

Pictures

Vamos a Tomar!