Yerba Mate, anyone?

[FelixDeCat]

Yerba is grass in Spanish. Enjoy your grass.


I saw an episode of some travel show on PBS. This lady traveled to some south american and everyone was eating grass and hot water. Weird.

 

[zinfamous]

how long before that is illegal?

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Yerba is grass in Spanish. Enjoy your grass.

I do enjoy it.

Incidentally, yerba mate is a type of holly, not grass. It does taste somewhat grassy, though, kinda like wheat grass. Ever had that? It's pretty good, too.

I saw an episode of some travel show on PBS. This lady traveled to some south american and everyone was eating grass and hot water. Weird.

You should probably just stick with Folgers crystals. ^_^

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

how long before that is illegal?

As soon as it starts cutting into Starbucks' coffee profits, I'd imagine.

 

[skyking]

One of my friends and co workers spends a lot of time in Argentina, and he has it. I've never tried it.

 

[dr150]

It's the national drink of choice in Argentina and Uruguay, instead of tea or coffee.

It's more powerful than coffee or tea without the caffeine shakes. The mate energy effect also lasts longer.

It's a smooth energy ride, which is why you are seeing more energy drinks (especially the pricey organic ones such as those found in Whole Foods) carry the yerba mate.

Trader Joes is now carrying it in tea bags for those who want to try.

I can attest that Yerba Mate does indeed keep me up better than coffee without any caffeine issues... :thumbsup:

 

[Alienwho]

I've tried to acclimate myself to mate, but I just can't do it. The taste to me is just repulsive and I hate hot drinks in general.

It's too bad because there are a lot of benefits to mate if you can stomach it. It's like the ultimate energy booster/appetite suppressant/fat burner. I love the smell of it though. It's just far too bitter for me. Even adding some honey to it won't work for me.

 

[dr150]

I've tried to acclimate myself to mate, but I just can't do it. The taste to me is just repulsive and I hate hot drinks in general.

It's too bad because there are a lot of benefits to mate if you can stomach it. It's like the ultimate energy booster/appetite suppressant/fat burner. I love the smell of it though. It's just far too bitter for me. Even adding some honey to it won't work for me.

You have to learn how to make it properly.

My parents are from Chile and they prepare it in a way that comes out very smooth, not bitter.

You just have to learn how to tailor it to your taste buds (just like coffee bean types, amount and machine used). Have you read up on how to prepare it on the internet/youtube...that should hopefully help.

 

[Alienwho]

You have to learn how to make it properly.

My parents are from Chile and they prepare it in a way that comes out very smooth, not bitter.

You just have to learn how to tailor it to your taste buds (just like coffee bean types, amount and machine used). Have you read up on how to prepare it on the internet/youtube...that should hopefully help.

I lived in Brazil for 3 years where mate is also beloved by the population and have tried it prepared by a dozen different people. It's just a no go for me.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Haven't had it, but it sounds like it could be tasty... I love coffee and tea, always black... drip, espresso, french press, light roasts, dark roasts, green tea, black tea ... all good .... so Yerba Mate would probably not disappoint...

Maybe I'll pick up some and just brew it in a french press...

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

Haven't had it, but it sounds like it could be tasty... I love coffee and tea, always black... drip, espresso, french press, light roasts, dark roasts, green tea, black tea ... all good .... so Yerba Mate would probably not disappoint...

Yeah, I'd say if you like all of those, then you'd probably find yerba mate enjoyable as well.

Maybe I'll pick up some and just brew it in a french press...

That should probably work just fine. I'm kinda keen to doing it the "authentic" way, hence the acquisition of the gourd and bombilla. I was introduced to it a long time ago by a friend that had studied for a semester in Buenos Aires and so that is really the only way I've had it prepared.

Were I not already familiar with the traditional brewing method, I probably would've begun with something like a french press.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Yeah, I'd say if you like all of those, then you'd probably find yerba mate enjoyable as well.


That should probably work just fine. I'm kinda keen to doing it the "authentic" way, hence the acquisition of the gourd and bombilla. I was introduced to it a long time ago by a friend that had studied for a semester in Buenos Aires and so that is really the only way I've had it prepared.

Were I not already familiar with the traditional brewing method, I probably would've begun with something like a french press.

Well, I'm not going to invest in doing it the "authentic" way without having tried it first hehehe...

I've got a french press that I use just for tea, so it won't have a coffee aftertaste... otherwise I can get tea bags, but usually loose leaf is a bit better since I can make it stronger 🙂