The first thing you will notice when arriving in Argentina is that many people are drinking from strange tea cups with a metal drinking straw. What is that all about?  Why do all people carry a thermos with them and are so addicted to drinking this special tea? Well, let´s find out!

Mate, pronounced as mah-tay, is the essence of Argentina. It is a cultural practice that transcends the barriers of social class, ethnicity and occupation in Argentina. Young, Old, Indigenous, European, Rich, Poor, Modern, and Old fashioned all take up this cultural tradition. This mate is not seen just as a special drink, but as an elaborate ritual. The purpose of this ritual is to share it amongst your friends, family, coworkers or even total strangers.

Yerba Mate is a dried and chopped leaf of the Llex Paraguayensis tree. Also known as Paraguayan tea, it grew in popularity during the colonial era. Europeans that came to Argentina drank this beverage because they believed it stimulates digestion, brings a feeling of relaxation, opens up the mind and stills both hunger and thirst.

Mate is popular throughout many countries in South America such as Chile, Southern Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Argentina is the largest consumer of this product as they are also the world´s largest producer of mate. Argentines consume more than 5kg of mate per person, per year. That is four times as much as their intake of coffee so it is quite a large amount.

This special ritual begins with the server (the cebador) filling the mate cup to the top with yerba. The server then heats the water (though making sure not to boil it) in a kettle (pava) and pours it slowly and carefully into the cup. The people who are there in company sip the mate through a metal straw (bombilla) with a small filter located inside so the yerba will not enter. Everyone takes just one or two sips before handing it over to the next person. Holding onto it for too long could be seen as an insult.
If there is no mate leftover, the server refills the cup again and again. This beautiful ritual can last for several hours.
In the North of Argentina people prefer their mate with aromatic herbs (yuyos) and sweeten it with sugar (dulce). From the Pampas and then southward, most people take it without any sweeteners (amargo).

If you are invited to share a mate with an Argentinean do not hesitate to say yes. It is a cultural treat and an experience not to miss out on. At first, the taste for some may be a bit bitter or the temperature too hot. After a few sips however, you will adjust and find yourself loving it.
So what are you waiting for? Act as an authentic Argentinean and go out to buy your thermo and mate set.  Set out and travel through the country taking this piece of historical tradition with you.