Very interesting. Ive enjoyed Yerba mate off an on over the years but i always prepared it like black tea. Its not regularly available around here. Occasionally found in some of the larger grocery stores. Ive seen the little gourds and metal straws for sale but wasn't sure of the method or ritual of using them. Other than brief visuals in documentaries about gauchos ive not seen them in use. Thanks for the detailed instructions. Ill be looking into the matter further.
Thanks for the reminder. Need to dig out my gourd and get back into it. Like you, I enjoy the ritual of the preparation and the refilling of the gourd. Always good to see you. Take care, Stephen
Your video just got recommended to a random Brazilian and I've watched the entire thing with a smile on my face! You're very knowledgeable about it all and this is really interesting to see from a Brit as even most Brazilians know nothing about it. It's mostly consumed in the south or in the state of Minas Gerais here. My girlfriend is Paraguayan and I often go there to spend some time with her family, and I always bring back with me a few packages of Paraguayan yerba(I don't like the Brazilian ones). Try getting your hands on some Kurupi yerbas for tereré, they're great, but make sure they're produced in Paraguay instead of Brazil. They've just released one for tereré called "Mega Menta" which I'm dying to try when I go back to paraguay in a couple of weeks. If you haven't tried it before, make some ginger paste with a pestle and mortar, mix it with some water and add it to your tereré jug or whatever you use to store the water, it makes for a great combination with the mint that you've mentioned that you like. I'd say that the "mate" culture is way stronger in Paraguay than in Argentina or Uruguay because the Guarani culture is still very much preserved over there when compared to its neighbouring countries, my girlfriend speaks Guarani instead of Spanish with her entire family, for example. Most paraguayans at least understand it, and it is an official language of the country while in Brazil no more than 50k people speak it, which is a shame considering that our population is over 200 million at this point. In Paraguay, all the cups are called "guampa", not only the ones for tereré, which is an interesting difference. I definitely have a preference for tereré, because although I live in the south of Brazil(Paraná), it still gets relatively hot here during summer, and I can't bring myself to drink mate when it's 35+ degrees here, and when I'm in Paraguay, I drink mate even less, because summers over there are brutal(42-45 degrees is very common), but I will say that nothing can beat a good mate in the winter mornings/evenings. I can't speak for Argentina, but in every Paraguayan supermarket you can find little packages called "super mate" which are basically a mix of many different herbs or spices(sage, chamomile, saffron, etc. The sky is the limit.) for some extra flavour, So, what I do is add some of it plus some anise to the water while it's boiling and then I strain it after the boil. It really adds a lot of flavour to it, just make sure to not go overboard with it unless you want an extra bitter mate. If you can get your hands on some dried orange slices, you can add a single slice in your guampa as well, I'm not sure if you'll like it, but it's worth the try! Anyways, thanks for the video, I've enjoyed every minute of it!
What a fantastic comment! Thanks for taking the time to watch all the way through, and such high praise indeed coming from a Brazilian! I will definitely try your suggestion the next time I make terere. Ginger sounds like it would work really well. I researched in Acre and something I remember there were groups of men sitting outside their houses sharing a cuia in the evening. I never quite mastered the art of making it the way they do in that part of Brazil, but I've since learnt that you really can't make Brazilian mate in the Argentinian manner! I also didn't know that all the mate cups in Paraguay are called "guampa". I haven't yet made it to Paraguay. Actually only spend around 6 months in Brazil, and haven't spent nearly enough time there as I would like. Really interesting point about the mix of herbs in paraguay too. I used to go to a little street vendor in Rio Branco that made up erva mate with a variety of medicinal herbs according to any condition you told them about. He also used to sell a lot of cachaca which was infused with all sorts of medicinal herbs and tree bark. Anyway, thanks so much for taking the time to comment and educate me! Abraco
Excellent. Do a search on curing the mate gourd; I touched upon it in this video but it really is a fundamental part of the process, and perhaps until you have cured the gourd properly, just make it the same way in a regular cup. The bits of vegetable matter in a new gourd really can make it bitter, and I don't want you to be put off
@@TheAmbulatoryAnarchist the set you linked me to has a leather wrapped Glass Mate cup, I'll use that until I decided if I like it, if I do then I'll go for a gourd one
Leo have you ever seen the show “Invisible guardian”? It’s on Netflix, and was also a book by Dolores Redondo. The story takes place in the Elizondo, Navarra, Spain Basque Country.
That’s a great introduction to it Leo , I tried it years ago ( around 1980) when I worked in whole foods/ herbs and spices) , I can’t remember if it was loose or tea bag style but I found it bitter and never tried it again……however, I’m sure prepared in the proper manner it’s a different kettle of fish….if I ever find myself in your neck of the woods I will ask you to prepare me one and introduce me to a real Cigar as well 😬 , Loved the ritual aspect. 🤙
Thank you for sharing Leo, from what I have found apart from the benefits you have highlighted it is an energy drink, I like the fact it apparantly also has a calming effect ? also, there are companies offering the leaves in a 'tea bag' form, may I ask what are your thoughts on this ? Steve.
Hi Steve, thanks for watching, and some good questions. The teabags I can't speak for as I've never felt inclined to try them. Probably just because I was introduced to it and enjoy the steps involved with preparing it the traditional way, but I don't see that it would make that much difference, really. Personally, I find it a lot more calming than coffee, and it doesn't provoke my anxiety like coffee will. I'd say it's more of a mental focus than a calmness per se, but I certainly find the preparation and drinking of it soothing.
@@TheAmbulatoryAnarchist Thank you Leo, I will be looking into this further, with the anticipation of giving it a try, I do have certain challenges which this could help me with.
Very interesting. Ive enjoyed Yerba mate off an on over the years but i always prepared it like black tea. Its not regularly available around here. Occasionally found in some of the larger grocery stores. Ive seen the little gourds and metal straws for sale but wasn't sure of the method or ritual of using them. Other than brief visuals in documentaries about gauchos ive not seen them in use. Thanks for the detailed instructions. Ill be looking into the matter further.
Thanks for the reminder. Need to dig out my gourd and get back into it. Like you, I enjoy the ritual of the preparation and the refilling of the gourd. Always good to see you.
Take care,
Stephen
Your video just got recommended to a random Brazilian and I've watched the entire thing with a smile on my face! You're very knowledgeable about it all and this is really interesting to see from a Brit as even most Brazilians know nothing about it. It's mostly consumed in the south or in the state of Minas Gerais here.
My girlfriend is Paraguayan and I often go there to spend some time with her family, and I always bring back with me a few packages of Paraguayan yerba(I don't like the Brazilian ones). Try getting your hands on some Kurupi yerbas for tereré, they're great, but make sure they're produced in Paraguay instead of Brazil. They've just released one for tereré called "Mega Menta" which I'm dying to try when I go back to paraguay in a couple of weeks. If you haven't tried it before, make some ginger paste with a pestle and mortar, mix it with some water and add it to your tereré jug or whatever you use to store the water, it makes for a great combination with the mint that you've mentioned that you like.
I'd say that the "mate" culture is way stronger in Paraguay than in Argentina or Uruguay because the Guarani culture is still very much preserved over there when compared to its neighbouring countries, my girlfriend speaks Guarani instead of Spanish with her entire family, for example. Most paraguayans at least understand it, and it is an official language of the country while in Brazil no more than 50k people speak it, which is a shame considering that our population is over 200 million at this point.
In Paraguay, all the cups are called "guampa", not only the ones for tereré, which is an interesting difference.
I definitely have a preference for tereré, because although I live in the south of Brazil(Paraná), it still gets relatively hot here during summer, and I can't bring myself to drink mate when it's 35+ degrees here, and when I'm in Paraguay, I drink mate even less, because summers over there are brutal(42-45 degrees is very common), but I will say that nothing can beat a good mate in the winter mornings/evenings.
I can't speak for Argentina, but in every Paraguayan supermarket you can find little packages called "super mate" which are basically a mix of many different herbs or spices(sage, chamomile, saffron, etc. The sky is the limit.) for some extra flavour, So, what I do is add some of it plus some anise to the water while it's boiling and then I strain it after the boil. It really adds a lot of flavour to it, just make sure to not go overboard with it unless you want an extra bitter mate. If you can get your hands on some dried orange slices, you can add a single slice in your guampa as well, I'm not sure if you'll like it, but it's worth the try!
Anyways, thanks for the video, I've enjoyed every minute of it!
What a fantastic comment! Thanks for taking the time to watch all the way through, and such high praise indeed coming from a Brazilian! I will definitely try your suggestion the next time I make terere. Ginger sounds like it would work really well.
I researched in Acre and something I remember there were groups of men sitting outside their houses sharing a cuia in the evening. I never quite mastered the art of making it the way they do in that part of Brazil, but I've since learnt that you really can't make Brazilian mate in the Argentinian manner!
I also didn't know that all the mate cups in Paraguay are called "guampa". I haven't yet made it to Paraguay. Actually only spend around 6 months in Brazil, and haven't spent nearly enough time there as I would like.
Really interesting point about the mix of herbs in paraguay too. I used to go to a little street vendor in Rio Branco that made up erva mate with a variety of medicinal herbs according to any condition you told them about. He also used to sell a lot of cachaca which was infused with all sorts of medicinal herbs and tree bark.
Anyway, thanks so much for taking the time to comment and educate me!
Abraco
I've ordered the kit you suggested last time we chatted on zoom, should get it on Tuesday I reckon.
Excellent. Do a search on curing the mate gourd; I touched upon it in this video but it really is a fundamental part of the process, and perhaps until you have cured the gourd properly, just make it the same way in a regular cup. The bits of vegetable matter in a new gourd really can make it bitter, and I don't want you to be put off
@@TheAmbulatoryAnarchist the set you linked me to has a leather wrapped Glass Mate cup, I'll use that until I decided if I like it, if I do then I'll go for a gourd one
yum!
Was always curious about this...Thank you, sir!
Many thanks for your video, Leo. Great idea! 👍🔥
Leo have you ever seen the show “Invisible guardian”? It’s on Netflix, and was also a book by Dolores Redondo. The story takes place in the Elizondo, Navarra, Spain Basque Country.
I've tried a few times over the years - it has never clicked for me. Cheers.
Yeh, for sure not for everyone
I'm sure your featured t-shirt is no coincidence...
😁
That’s a great introduction to it Leo , I tried it years ago ( around 1980) when I worked in whole foods/ herbs and spices) , I can’t remember if it was loose or tea bag style but I found it bitter and never tried it again……however, I’m sure prepared in the proper manner it’s a different kettle of fish….if I ever find myself in your neck of the woods I will ask you to prepare me one and introduce me to a real Cigar as well 😬 , Loved the ritual aspect. 🤙
Just give me a shout any time you're around my way, mate. You're living the dream and moving around, so I never know where you are!
Thank you for sharing Leo, from what I have found apart from the benefits you have highlighted it is an energy drink, I like the fact it apparantly also has a calming effect ? also, there are companies offering the leaves in a 'tea bag' form, may I ask what are your thoughts on this ? Steve.
Hi Steve, thanks for watching, and some good questions. The teabags I can't speak for as I've never felt inclined to try them. Probably just because I was introduced to it and enjoy the steps involved with preparing it the traditional way, but I don't see that it would make that much difference, really. Personally, I find it a lot more calming than coffee, and it doesn't provoke my anxiety like coffee will. I'd say it's more of a mental focus than a calmness per se, but I certainly find the preparation and drinking of it soothing.
@@TheAmbulatoryAnarchist Thank you Leo, I will be looking into this further, with the anticipation of giving it a try, I do have certain challenges which this could help me with.