Prepare yerba mate traditionally with calabash and bombilla
[/fusion_title][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” hover_type=”none” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” border_radius=”” box_shadow=”no” dimension_box_shadow=”” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ box_shadow_color=”” box_shadow_style=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” background_type=”single” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_color=”” background_image=”” background_image_id=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend_mode=”none” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” filter_type=”regular” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ last=”true” border_sizes_top=”0″ border_sizes_bottom=”0″ border_sizes_left=”0″ border_sizes_right=”0″ first=”true”][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”default” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” content_alignment_medium=”” content_alignment_small=”” content_alignment=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” font_size=”” fusion_font_family_text_font=”” fusion_font_variant_text_font=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” text_color=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]Preparation time: about 4 minutes
You will need: Muy Mate organic mate tea, calabash, bombilla, water, maybe a thermos.
Preparing mate tea traditionally can look complicated at first. There are many rules and steps to follow. But once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll realize how easy it actually is! In this tutorial we will show you step by step how to make your mate traditionally like a gaucho.
For this you need a calabash. It’s up to you which calabash you use – whether you prefer natural materials like pumpkin or wood, or more practical options like stainless steel or glass. You will also need a bombilla, hot water and your Muy Mate organic mate tea. We also recommend the use of a thermos. So your water keeps the right temperature while you drink your Mate.
Introduction: Mate, Polvo and shaka laka
First, fill the calabash to about half full with yerba mate. Passionate drinkers and gauchos also make it two-thirds full to get a stronger taste per infusion.
Then you should place your hand on top to avoid spilling. Turn the calabash upside down and shake your mate well a few times. This will cause the smaller mate particles (polvo) to sink to the calabash opening. These smaller mate particles, especially in yerbas with a lot of polvo, can clog your bombilla. Therefore, you should keep them away from your bombilla strainer. If you take our Muy Mate tea, you can save this step, because our tea has hardly any polvo.
Of slopes and wetlands: Where does the bombilla go again?
After you have shaken your mate, put the calabash back up at an angle, trying to make sure that the mate leaves also form an angle in the calabash. But not too slanted, just a little bit, so that your mate is leaning against one side of the calabash. On the opposite, free side you now pour in some cold water. But only enough to wet the lower leaves. Let it steep for two minutes to allow the leaves to soak and to protect the active ingredients from the hot water later.
In South America, in many cases, the calabash is first fully infused with cold water and allowed to soak for a full five minutes. This first sip tends to be the most bitter. In our case, we just want to dissolve and protect the substances in the tea.
In the meantime, you can heat the water. 70 degrees is optimal. Between 60 and 80 degrees is definitely a good heat. It’s better to have too little heat than too much, because you’ll drink empty right after each infusion, and you could burn yourself if the water is too hot. If you can’t control the water temperature, we have a trick for you: boil half a liter of water normally and then add half a liter of cold water. This way you will reach a good temperature for your mate.
After two minutes of soaking time is over, it’s time to put in the bombilla. Important note: Once in, the bombilla should not be moved to avoid clogging the strainer!
South Americans are also very strict with this tradition. Touching and moving a bombilla while drinking mate is taboo! So: hands off!
The bombilla is inserted at the lowest mate point of the slant, so to speak, under the tea, as if to scoop the tea with it.
But please do not really shovel. That causes just mess ;)
Finally! The first infusion
After we have placed our bombilla and the water is ready, we can start the first infusion. Pour the water into the calabash on the side of the bombilla.
If it flows along the bombilla, even better.
The goal is to get only the leaves wet on the bombilla side and from the bottom up. This has two results and advantages: First, you only pour as much into the calabash as you can drink, and second, the top leaves stay dry. This way you have a small reserve of dry leaves, which only release the flavor and active ingredients during later infusions. This way you can enjoy your tea longer.
Once infused, you should drink completely empty before infusing again. Also, do not wait too long between infusing and drinking, or it will become more bitter with each sip.
There is no prescribed number of infusions you have with mate. You can infuse several times until the taste wears off too much. You can also tell when your mate is becoming “lavado” or lacking flavor by looking at the little bubbles that form when you infuse. If they become less, you can pour more of the still dry tea. But if they stop appearing, then it’s time for fresh yerba.
A regular calabash that holds between 2 and 3 tablespoons of mate can hold up to a liter of water, so enough mate for a few hours. You don’t have to drink it all back-to-back, either. You can pour it a few times, take a break from drinking, and then continue later. This way you can drink your mate throughout the day without having to go through the whole process each time.
Wow! That was a lot of information and a lot of little details. It may look complicated at first, but after you try it a few times, you will do it like a real gaucho! Believe me ;-)
If some steps are unclear, we have also explained everything in a short video:
Of course, you don’t have to drink your mate traditionally every time. You can also make it like a regular tea, in the French Press or in our Gaucho Gordo. These simpler methods can be used for those busy days. When you have time to enjoy, do it like they do in South America!
What is your experience with the traditional preparation of mate?
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” link=”” target=”_self” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” hover_type=”none” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” border_radius=”” box_shadow=”no” dimension_box_shadow=”” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ box_shadow_color=”” box_shadow_style=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” background_type=”single” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_color=”” background_image=”” background_image_id=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_blend_mode=”none” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” filter_type=”regular” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ last=”true” border_sizes_top=”0″ border_sizes_bottom=”0″ border_sizes_left=”0″ border_sizes_right=”0″ first=”true”][fusion_title title_type=”text” rotation_effect=”bounceIn” display_time=”1200″ highlight_effect=”circle” loop_animation=”off” highlight_width=”9″ highlight_top_margin=”0″ before_text=”” rotation_text=”” highlight_text=”” after_text=”” title_link=”off” link_url=”” link_target=”_self” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” content_align_medium=”” content_align_small=”” content_align=”left” size=”2″ font_size=”” animated_font_size=”” fusion_font_family_title_font=”” fusion_font_variant_title_font=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” text_shadow=”no” text_shadow_vertical=”” text_shadow_horizontal=”” text_shadow_blur=”0″ text_shadow_color=”” margin_top_medium=”” margin_right_medium=”” margin_bottom_medium=”” margin_left_medium=”” margin_top_small=”” margin_right_small=”” margin_bottom_small=”” margin_left_small=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” margin_top_mobile=”” margin_bottom_mobile=”” text_color=”” animated_text_color=”” gradient_font=”no” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ highlight_color=”” style_type=”default” sep_color=”” link_color=”” link_hover_color=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=””]Related articles
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