Mate

Before leaving Argentina, I feel compelled to talk about Mate. This drink is enjoyed all over Argentina and it has a ritual associated with it that makes it a very social drink. I first noticed our porters in Patagonia drinking a brew out of a decorated gourd and passing it around. Our guide explained a bit about how it worked, and one day I got to try some. It is a bit like a strong green tea and apparently contains a checmical similar to but not the same as caffeine that gives a stimulating effect. I immediately liked it, and I liked the idea of the ritual behind it.

The gourd, called the Mate, is filled with a leaf called Yerba Mate, and a filtering straw called a bombilla, usually made of metal, is used for drinking. There is one person, called the sebador, who serves the drink to those who want some by pouring hot water into the mate and passing it to the drinker. The first mate, called the fool´s mate, is drunk by the sebador himself, and the next one is offered to the person to his left. The new drinker then sips as much as he wants, usually finishing what´s in the mate, then says ¨gracias¨ and passes the mate back to the sebador. The sebador then continues to offer the mate in a clockwise direction, refilling with water when necessary. At some point, the sebador may appoint a new sebador, which is considered an honor. Apparently, one mate full of yerba mate should last about 14 fillings.

I liked it enough that I found myself a mate I liked in Buenos Aires, along with some Yerba Mate to fill it. So far, I´ve mostly been drinking by myself, as Dee will usually just have a small amount, but I haven´t acquired the custom of some Argentinians of carrying around a thermos full of hot water so they can keep refilling their mates. Hopefully, some folks in San Francisco will enjoy it as much as I do, and I can practice being a real sebador. Look for some mate parties when I get back.