Before there was the tango, there was the yerba mate. It is the national drink of Argentina and one of the few drinks that delivers a healthy dose of caffeine. Yerba mate is a member of the holly family. It was introduced to Europeans by the Guarani Indians and quickly became a favorite with them. In Argentina they drink it out of small gourds or gourd shaped containers through a straw called a bombilla. We find that it is equally good when prepared like a regular tea. There are two kinds of mate: con palo and sin palo. Con palo means with sticks and sin palo means without sticks. Sin palo is the best grade, and it is the grade we sell. Yerba Mate resembles a strong green tea in taste with something of a vegetal, grassy flavor. Sin Palo is milder in this regard than con palo. The flavor profile changes somewhat when made as an ice tea. The cold water seems to bring a light sweetness out. Either way we think you will find this an interesting addition to your palate. 

Ingredients

Sin Palo Yerba Mate

Instructions

Use 2 grams of tea for every 6 ounces of water. Generally this works out to a teaspoon per every 6 ounces of water. Steep for 5 or more minutes with 180-degree water.