Mate (drink)

Mate (drink)
or maté (Spanish: , Portuguese: ) is a traditional South American caffeine-rich infused herbal drink. It is also known as or , and ka’ay in Guarani. It is made by soaking dried yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) leaves in hot water and is traditionally served with a metal straw in a container typically made from a calabash gourd (also called the ), but also made from a cattle horn in some areas. A very similar preparation, known as , removes some of the plant material and sometimes comes in tea bags. Today, mate is sold commercially in tea bags and as bottled iced tea.
was consumed by the Guaraní and Tupi peoples. Its consumption was exclusive to the natives of Paraguay, more specifically the departments of Amambay and Alto Paraná. It is the national beverage of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay and is also consumed in the Bolivian Chaco, Brazil, Northern and Southern Chile, and Syria, where it was brought from Paraguay and Argentina by immigrants.
Accessories
The metal straw is known as a or and is traditionally made of silver. Modern straws are typically made of nickel silver, stainless steel, or hollow-stemmed cane. The functions both as a straw and as a sieve. The submerged end is flared, with small holes or slots that allow the brewed liquid in, but block the chunky matter that makes up much of the mixture. A modern design uses a straight tube with holes or a spring sleeve to act as a sieve.
The container the is served in is also known as . It is commonly made from calabash gourd but may also be made out of other materials.
History
was first consumed by the indigenous Guaraní who live in what is now Paraguay, southeastern Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, and was also spread by the Tupí people who lived in neighbouring areas. After, it was commercialised to part of southern Brazil and northeast Argentina, mostly some areas that were Paraguayan territory before the Paraguayan War. Therefore, the scientific name of the yerba-mate is Ilex paraguariensis. The consumption of yerba-mate became widespread with the European colonization in the Spanish colony of Paraguay in the late 16th century, among both Spanish settlers and indigenous Guaraní, who consumed it before the Spanish arrival. Yerba consumption spread in the 17th century to the Río de la Plata and from there to Peru and Chile. This widespread consumption turned it into Paraguay's main commodity above other wares such as tobacco, cotton and beef. Aboriginal labour was used to harvest wild stands. In the mid-17th century, Jesuits managed to domesticate the plant and establish plantations in their Indian reductions in the Argentine province of Misiones, sparking severe competition with the Paraguayan harvesters of wild strands. After their expulsion in the 1770s, the Jesuit missions — along with the yerba-mate plantations — fell into ruins. The industry continued to be of prime importance for the Paraguayan economy after independence, but development in benefit of the Paraguayan state halted after the Paraguayan War (1864–1870) that devastated the country both economically and demographically.
Brazil then became the largest producer of . In Brazilian and Argentine projects in late 19th and early 20th centuries, the plant was domesticated once again, opening the way for plantation systems. When Brazilian entrepreneurs turned their attention to coffee in the 1930s, Argentina, which had long been the prime consumer, took over as the largest producer, resurrecting the economy of Misiones Province, where the Jesuits had once had most of their plantations. For years, the status of largest producer shifted between Brazil and Argentina.
Today, Argentina is the largest producer with 56–62%, followed by Brazil, 34–36%, and Paraguay, 5%. Uruguay is the largest consumer per capita, consuming around 19 liters per year.
Name
The English word comes from the French and the American Spanish , which means both and the vessel for drinking it, from the Quechua word for the calabash gourd used to make it.
Both the spellings "maté" and "mate" are used in English. The acute accent indicates that the word is pronounced with two syllables, like café (both maté and café are stressed on the first syllable in the UK), rather than like the one-syllable English word "mate". An acute accent is not used in the Spanish spelling, because the first syllable is stressed. The Yerba Mate Association of the Americas points out that, in Spanish, "" with the stress on the second syllable means "I killed".
In Brazil, traditionally prepared is known as , although the word and the expression "" (bitter mate) are also used in Argentina and Uruguay. The Spanish means "rough", "brute", or "barbarian", but is most widely understood to mean "feral", and is used in almost all of Latin America for domesticated animals that have become wild. The word was then used by the people who colonized the region of the Río de la Plata to describe the natives' rough and sour drink, drunk with no other ingredient to sweeten the taste.
Culture
has a strong cultural significance for both national identity and society. Yerba is the national drink of Paraguay, where it is also consumed with either hot or ice cold water (see tereré); Argentina; and Uruguay. Drinking is a common social practice in all of the territory of Paraguay and parts of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, southern Chile, and eastern Bolivia. Throughout the Southern Cone, it is considered to be a tradition taken from the Paraguayan Guaraní and drank by the or , terms commonly used to describe the old residents of the South American or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, southeastern Bolivia, southern Chile and southern Brazil. Argentina has celebrated National Mate Day every 30 November since 2015.
Parque Histórico do Mate, funded by the state of Paraná (Brazil), is a park aimed to educate people on the sustainable harvesting methods needed to maintain the integrity and vitality of the oldest wild forests of in the world.
is also consumed as an iced tea in various regions of Brazil, originating both from an industrialized form, produced by Matte Leão, and from artisanal producers. It is part of the beach culture in Rio de Janeiro, where it is widely sold by beach vendors; the hot infused variation being uncommon in the area.
Preparation
The preparation of is a simple process, consisting of filling a container with yerba, pouring hot, but not boiling, water over the leaves, and drinking with a straw, the , which acts as a filter so as to draw only the liquid and not the yerba leaves. The method of preparing the infusion varies considerably from region to region, and which method yields the finest outcome is debated. However, nearly all methods have some common elements. The beverage is traditionally prepared in a gourd vessel, also called in Spanish and (= gourd) in Portuguese, from which it is drunk. The gourd is nearly filled with , and hot water, typically at , never boiling, is added. The drink is so popular within countries that consume it, that several national electric kettle manufacturers just refer to the range 70 to 85 °C on its thermostat as "mate" temperature.
The most common preparation involves a careful arrangement of the within the gourd before adding hot water. In this method, the gourd is first filled one-half to three-quarters of the way with . Too much will result in a "short" mate; conversely, too little results in a "long" mate, both being considered undesirable. After that, any additional herbs (in Portuguese ) may be added for either health or flavor benefits, a practice most common in Paraguay, where people acquire herbs from a local (herbalist) and use the as a base for their herbal infusions. When the gourd is adequately filled, the preparer typically grasps it with the full hand, covering and roughly sealing the opening with the palm. Then the is turned upside-down, and shaken vigorously, but briefly and with gradually decreasing force, in this inverted position. This causes the finest, most powdery particles of the to settle toward the preparer's palm and the top of the mate.
Once the has settled, the is carefully brought to a near-sideways angle, with the opening tilted just slightly upward of the base. The is then shaken very gently with a side-to-side motion. This further settles the inside the gourd so that the finest particles move toward the opening and the is layered along one side. The largest stems and other bits create a partition between the empty space on one side of the gourd and the lopsided pile of on the other.
After arranging the along one side of the gourd, the is carefully tilted back onto its base, minimizing further disturbances of the as it is re-oriented to allow consumption. Some settling is normal, but is not desirable. The angled mound of should remain, with its powdery peak still flat and mostly level with the top of the gourd. A layer of stems along its slope will slide downward and accumulate in the space opposite the (though at least a portion should remain in place).
All of this careful settling of the ensures that each sip contains as little particulate matter as possible, creating a smooth-running mate. The finest particles will then be as distant as possible from the filtering end of the straw. With each draw, the smaller particles would inevitably move toward the straw, but the larger particles and stems filter much of this out. A sloped arrangement provides consistent concentration and flavor with each filling of the mate.
Now the is ready to receive the straw. Wetting the by gently pouring cool water into the empty space within the gourd until the water nearly reaches the top, and then allowing it to be absorbed into the before adding the straw, allows the preparer to carefully shape and "pack" the 's slope with the straw's filtering end, which makes the overall form of the within the gourd more resilient and solid. Dry , though, allows a cleaner and easier insertion of the straw, but care must be taken so as not to overly disturb the arrangement of the . Such a decision is entirely a personal or cultural preference. The straw is inserted with one's thumb and index finger on the upper end of the gourd, at an angle roughly perpendicular to the slope of the , so that its filtering end travels into the deepest part of the and comes to rest near or against the opposite wall of the gourd. It is important for the thumb to form a seal over the end of the straw when it is being inserted, or the air current produced in it will draw in undesirable particulates.
Brewing
After the above process, the may be brewed. If the straw is inserted into dry , the must first be filled once with cool water as above, then be allowed to absorb it completely (which generally takes no more than two or three minutes). Treating the with cool water before the addition of hot water is essential, as it protects the from being scalded and from the chemical breakdown of some of its desirable nutrients. Hot water may then be added by carefully pouring it, as with the cool water before, into the cavity opposite the , until it reaches almost to the top of the gourd when the is fully saturated. Care should be taken to maintain the dryness of the swollen top of the beside the edge of the gourd's opening.
Once the hot water has been added, the is ready for drinking, and it may be refilled many times before becoming (washed out) and losing its flavor. When this occurs, the mound of can be pushed from one side of the gourd to the other, allowing water to be added along its opposite side; this revives the for additional refillings and is called "" (reforming the mate).
Etiquette
is traditionally drunk in a particular social setting, such as family gatherings or with friends. The same gourd (/mate) and straw are used by everyone drinking. One person (known in Portuguese as the or , and in Spanish as the ) assumes the task of server, which most of the time is the house owner in family gatherings. Typically, the fills the gourd and drinks the completely to ensure that it is free of particulate matter and of good quality. In some places, passing the first brew of to another drinker is considered bad manners, as it may be too cold or too strong; for this reason, the first brew is often called . The possibly drinks the second filling as well, if they deem it too cold or bitter. The subsequently refills the gourd and passes it to the drinker to their right, who likewise drinks it all (there is not much; the is full of yerba, with room for little water), and returns it without thanking the server; a final or (thank you) implies that the drinker has had enough. The only exception to this order is if a new guest joins the group; in this case the new arrival receives the next mate, and then the cebador resumes the order of serving, and the new arrival will receive theirs depending on their placement in the group. When no more tea remains, the straw makes a loud sucking noise, which is not considered rude. The ritual proceeds around the circle in this way until the becomes (washed out), typically after the gourd has been filled about 10 times or more depending on the used (well-aged is typically more potent, so provides a greater number of refills) and the ability of the . When one has had one's fill of mate, they politely thank the , passing the back at the same time. It is impolite for anyone but the cebador to move the bombilla or otherwise mess with the mate; the cebador may take offense to this and not offer it to the offender again. When someone takes too long, others in the round (in Portuguese, in Spanish) will likely politely warn them by saying "bring the talking gourd"; an Argentine equivalent, especially among young people, being ("it's not a microphone"), an allusion to the drinker holding the for too long, as if they were using it as a microphone to deliver a lecture.
Some drinkers like to add sugar or honey, creating or (sweet mate), instead of sugarless (bitter mate), a practice said to be more common in Brazil outside its southernmost state. Some people also like to add lemon or orange peel, some herbs or even coffee, but these are mostly rejected by people who like to stick to the "original" mate.
Traditionally, natural gourds are used, though wood vessels, bamboo tubes, and gourd-shaped , made of ceramic or metal (stainless steel or even silver) are also common, as are vessels made from cattle horns. The gourd is traditionally made out of the porongo or fruit shell. Gourds are commonly decorated with silver, sporting decorative or heraldic designs with floral motifs. Some gourd mates with elaborated silver ornaments and silver bombillas are true pieces of jewelry and very sought after by collectors.
Contaminants
Research found both cold- and hot-water extractions of commercial yerba-mate products contained high levels (8.03 to 53.3 ng/g dry leaves) of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (i.e. benzo[a]pyrene).
Other properties
is a rich source of caffeine. On average, tea contains 92 mg of chlorogenic acid per gram of dry leaves, and no catechins, giving it a significantly different polyphenol profile from other teas.
According to Argentine culture in part promoted by marketers, the stimulant in is actually a substance called (named after the drink). However, analysis of the active chemicals in mate has found that does not exist.
Legendary origins
The Guaraní people started drinking in a region that currently includes Paraguay, southern Brazil, southeastern Bolivia, northeastern Argentina and Uruguay. They have a legend that the Goddesses of the Moon and the Cloud came to visit the Earth one day. An old man saved them from a (jaguar) that was going to attack them. The goddesses gave him a new kind of plant, from which he could prepare a "drink of friendship" as compensation for his actions.
Variants
Another drink can be prepared with specially cut dry leaves, very cold water, and, optionally, lemon or another fruit juice, called . It is very common in Paraguay, northeastern Argentina and in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. After pouring the water, it is considered proper to "wait while the saint has a sip" before the first person takes a drink. In southern Brazil, is sometimes used as a derogatory term for a not hot enough .
In Uruguay and Brazil, the traditional gourd is usually big with a corresponding large hole. In Argentina (especially in the capital Buenos Aires), the gourd is small and has a small hole and people sometimes add sugar for flavor.
In Uruguay, people commonly walk around the streets toting a and a thermos with hot water. In some parts of Argentina, gas stations sponsored by producers provide free hot water to travelers, specifically for the purpose of drinking during the journey. Disposable sets with a plastic and straw and sets with a thermos flask and stacking containers for the yerba and sugar inside a fitted case are available.
In Argentina, (boiled mate), in Brazil is made with a teabag or leaves and drunk from a cup or mug, with or without sugar and milk. Companies such as Cabrales from Mar del Plata and Establecimiento Las Marías produce teabags for export to Europe.
Travel narratives, such as Maria Graham's Journal of a Residence in Chile, show a long history of drinking in central Chile. Many rural Chileans drink mate, in particular in the southern regions, particularly Magallanes, Aysén and Chiloé.
In Peru, is widespread throughout the north and south, first being introduced to Lima in the 17th century. It is widespread in rural zones, and it is prepared with coca (plant) or in a sweetened tea form with small slices of lemon or orange.
In some parts of Syria, Lebanon and other Eastern Mediterranean countries, drinking is also common. The custom came from Syrians and Lebanese who moved to South America during the late 19th and early parts of the 20th century, adopted the tradition, and kept it after returning to Western Asia. Syria is the biggest importer of yerba-mate in the world, importing 15,000 tons a year. Mostly, the Druze communities in Syria and Lebanon maintain the culture and practice of mate.
According to a major retailer of in San Luis Obispo, California, by 2004, had grown to about 5% of the overall natural tea market in North America. Loose is commercially available in much of North America. Bottled is increasingly available in the United States. Canadian bottlers have introduced a cane sugar-sweetened, carbonated variety, similar to soda pop. One brand, Sol Mate, produces glass bottles available at Canadian and U.S. retailers, making use of the translingual pun (English 'soul mate'; Spanish/Portuguese 'sun mate') for the sake of marketing.
In some parts of the Southern Cone they prefer to drink bitter mate, especially in Paraguay, Uruguay, the south of Brazil, and parts of Argentina and Bolivia. This is referred to in Brazil and a large part of Argentina as – which also an archaic name for wild cattle, especially, to a horse that was very attached to a cowboy—which is understood as unsweetened mate. Many people are of the opinion that should be drunk in this form.
Unlike bitter mate, in every preparation of , or sweet mate, sugar is incorporated according to the taste of the drinker. This form of preparation is very widespread in various regions of Argentina, like in the Santiago del Estero province, Córdoba (Argentina), Cuyo, and the metropolitan region of Buenos Aires, among others. In Chile, this form of preparation is widespread in mostly rural zones. The spoonful of sugar or honey should fall on the edge of the cavity that the straw forms in the yerba, not all over the mate. One variation is to sweeten only the first preparation in order to cut the bitterness of the first sip, thus softening the rest. In Paraguay, a variant of is prepared by first caramelizing refined sugar in a pot then adding milk. The mixture is heated and placed in a thermos and used in place of water. Often, chamomile (in Spanish) and coconut are added to yerba in the gumpa.
In the sweet version artificial sweeteners are also often added. As an alternative sweetener, natural (Stevia rebaudiana) is preferred, which is an herb whose leaves are added in order to give a touch of sweetness. This is used principally in Paraguay.
The gourd in which bitter is drunk is not used to consume sweet due to the idea that the taste of the sugar would be detrimental to its later use to prepare and drink bitter mate, as it is said that it ruins the flavor of the .
Materva is a sweet, carbonated soft drink based on yerba mate. Developed in Cuba in 1920, and produced since the 1960s in Miami, Florida, it is a staple of the Cuban culture in Miami.
Notes
See also
Black drink
Mate con malicia (Chilean beverage)
Ilex guayusa (caffeinated beverage made from another holly tree)
List of Brazilian dishes
Mate de coca
Club-Mate
Materva
Guayakí
Yaupon
References
Bibliography
Claude Lévi-Strauss (1955), Tristes Tropiques (1973 English translation by John and Doreen Weightman) New York: Atheneum
Herbal and fungal stimulants
Herbal tea
Latin American cuisine
Syrian cuisine
Tea culture
Argentine drinks
Brazilian drinks
Chilean drinks
Paraguayan drinks
Uruguayan drinks
IARC Group 2A carcinogens
Yerba mate drinks
Hot drinks
Druze culture
Indigenous cuisine of the Americas
Cuisine of South Brazil