Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Heladería
(ice-cream shop), Microcentro
LONELY PLANET / GETTY IMAGES ©
MATE
Mate
(mah-teh) is Argentina's unofficial national beverage. More than a simple drink like
tea or coffee,
mate
is more like an elaborate ritual shared among family and friends.
There's an informal etiquette to preparing and drinking
mate
. The
cebador
(server) fills
the gourd with
yerba,
then pours in very hot water. Each participant drinks the gourd dry,
then the
cebador
refills it and hands it to the next person. Germaphobes beware: the
bom-
billa
(a silvery straw with built-in filter), used to sip the
mate,
is shared by everyone.
An invitation to drink
mate
is a cultural treat you shouldn't turn down, though it's def-
initely an acquired taste. The tea is grassy, bitter and very hot; adding sugar can help. Say-
ing '
gracias
' is a sign you want to stop drinking. And remember not to hold the
mate
too
long before passing it on!
Because it is such a personal ritual, not many restaurants offer
mate
on the menu - but a
few do, so try it if you can.
