Pottoff2

Yerba Maté-

Yerba Mate is a strong tea that was started with Guarani people; they shared the drink with the Jetsuit missionaries who then began to cultivate the plant. This plant is called the holly plant and it only grows in a little rain and low humidity area (Dougherty, Terri). Then in May and September branches are cut from the holly plant and dried over wood fires. Once dried, they are shaved off, chopped then packages for sale (Gofen, Ethel). They call this plant part of this process the Yerba part of the name and now is when the Mate comes in. A Mate is a wooden cup that you would pour very hot water and sugar into and over your Yerba. Then your Yerba is drank through a bombilla or a metal drinking straw that has a filter at the bottom and will filter out all the Yerba (Dougherty, Terri). When the Mate is empty you can just refill it with water and then pass it on to the next person, making this a drink that shall be drank with friends. Also it is a common custom to share your Yerba Mate with a friend, its similar to teatime in England (Dougherty, Terri).