The mate lexicon
Updated: Aug 30, 2021
For an in-depth learning of mate culture, we suggest that you introduce to your vocabulary the lexicon of a real mate drinker.
Also known as a gourd, the mate is the container in which yerba mate is drunk in the traditional way. Mate is often made from a calabash (dried squash) but it also exists in the form of ceramics, wood, glass, or aluminium.
The term mate also refers to the concept of drinking mate.
Yerba refers to the herbs used in maté. These come from the Ilex-Paraguariensis tree, which is cultivated in Paraguay, northern Argentina and southern Brazil. The traditional Yerba consists of 4 cuts (powder, small leaves, large leaves and small pieces of branch).
The Bombilla is a straw, generally metallic, with a filter at its end to separate the infusion from the mate leaves. Especially known in the mate world and is now starting to seduce tea lovers.
The cebador is the person who prepares and opens the mate ritual. He is the first person who drinks the mate to make sure that it has been well prepared.
The cebador is the master of the water and takes care to make the mate turn (always to the left) to the others Materos of the round.
Cebar :
Cebar is the verb used to serve mate. It is advisable to cebar your mate at 80ºC, otherwise you risk burning the leaves and losing all the properties of the mate.
Another tip is to pour hot water on the side of the bombilla.
The Matera or Matero :
The Matera or Matero is the appropriate term to designate the person who drinks mate.
There is no age to be Matera or Matero. However, we do not recommend that pregnant women or children drink it.
Mate "lavado" :
This expression is used to say that the mate is coming to an end. To recognize when a mate is lavado you have to look at the small branches. If they float on the surface it means that the mate has released all its properties. Its taste will also be less pronounced than at the beginning.
The mate "Cocido" is a method of infusing mate leaves, often presented in tea bags or brewed in a French coffee pot.
Cocido mate can then be mixed with many different ingredients to vary the pleasures.
"Curar" is a Spanish word which means "to heal/treat".
As the mate is mainly made of calabash, it has to be treated first of all. This is the first step before you can start drinking your new mate.
"Compartir" :
"Compartir" means "sharing" in Spanish and it is also the word that sums up our trip to Latin America.
Our philosophy, our routine and the culture of mate are impregnated every day with this verb. Sharing is an important value for us in order to build a more united society.
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