On scorching hot days do you realllyyy want to drink yerba mate? If you asked me that eight or nine years ago, I would’ve said, heck yeahhh! Admittedly, my early mate days were defined by rigid adherence to the traditional Argentine method of preparing mate, which is summed up in a single word: hot! Summertime […]
Author Archive | David Askaripour
Does Yerba Mate Tea Expire or Go Stale?
Ever ask the questions, does yerba mate go stale? Sure, I bet you have. That’s why you’re here. The short answer is: yes. But the accurate answer is: no, hardly ever. How to Properly Store Yerba Mate Tea Allow me to extrapolate. If you store your yerba mate in a cool, dark, and dry location […]
What’s the Best Water Temperature for Yerba Mate?
It’s a question I receive often and there really isn’t any right answer (at least not in terms of taste, but surely in terms of health, as we know that extremely hot water is never safe to consume). To paraphrase an ancient Tea Master, if the water quality is an 8 and the tea is […]
New Saponins Discovered in Yerba Mate Tea
Foamy, frothy bubbles atop our yerba mate gourds and mugs. Yes, every passionate yerba mate drinker has seen them. Cappuccinos and lattes may have their cream, but our mates have saponins! These intriguing and somewhat mysterious compounds are present every time the mate bubbles appear. And soon, we’ll learn that they may actually indicate how […]
Beginner’s Guide to Yerba Mate Tea
One of my favorite books is Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Suzuki. It’s a lesson on, no matter how experienced or seasoned you’ve become in any of life’s many arenas, humbly returning back to the basics and once again starting with a fresh pair of eyes; a renewed mind; and revitalized energy to continue building […]
Yerba Mate Too Bitter? Try Adding these Zesty Herbs
“I want to love yerba mate but it’s too bitter, what do I do?” Someone recently asked me that and it’s true, yerba mate is naturally bitter. Personally, I love the bitterness. It’s not just “bitter,” but also sweet, complex, and infused with all sorts of subtle tastes, aromas, textures, and profiles. But we aren’t […]
You Don’t Have to Cure your Yerba Mate Gourd
The yerba mate gourd is the most traditional way of experiencing yerba mate. Oh man, I remember it like it was yesterday. My friend in Argentina pulled out a calabash gourd from his pantry and said “Here you go, Dave. Here’s your first gourd.” What an honor. Over seven years later, I’m still sipping mate […]
Argentine Calabash vs Brazilian Cuia – Yerba Mate Gourds
“Every yerba mate drinker needs a calabash gourd.” Yup, that’s what I’ve told almost every serious Matero (yerba mate enthusiast) that has asked me which gourd to go with over the years. Granted, it’s much easier to use a glass, silicone, or wooden gourd, since they dry easily and you don’t have to worry about […]
Yerba Mate Tea vs Rooibos Tea
One hails from South America and another from South Africa, but both of their health benefits and growing popularity point North. Exclusively grown in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis), pronounced “yer-BAH mah-TAY”, is the National Drink across the region, where at least 90% of the population drinks this holly plant daily. Focused […]
Where can I buy yerba mate in Houston? Find out here.
From the fecund Eastern forests of Paraguay to the frenzied metropolis of Buenos Aires, Argentina, yerba mate tea has righteously wafted beyond the once unknown little holly plant solely consumed by the Guaraní and neighboring tribes within the Southern Cone (Southern regions of South America) to a staple tea for millions of people around the […]
How to Make Cold Brewed Yerba Mate Tea
Icy-cold and insanely refreshing, cold brewing yerba mate is quickly becoming one of my favorite ways to prepare yerba mate. Over the years we’ve discussed myriad ways to prepare mate, whether it’s with a french press, tea pot, infuser, and my earlier methods for making yerba mate iced tea, or continuing the tradition of the […]
Yerba Mate Cycles Explained
Understanding Yerba Mate Cycles Every varietal and brand of yerba mate has its own strength. Mates such as Mission, Galaxy, and Canarias have long cycles. What’s a yerba mate cycle, you ask? Simple. Yerba mate cycles are determined by how long the mate retains its strength (flavors/body) throughout the duration of a 1-liter thermos, assuming […]
The Best Water Temperature for Yerba Mate
Finding the right yerba mate water temperature is both art and science. Rising early to grab my trusted brushed stainless steel OXO kettle, I unapologetically select the finest water at my disposal. Whether it’s alkalinized 9.5 pH Kangen water or a jug of glacier water from the neighborhood Whole Foods, I’ve come to terms that water […]
The History of Yerba Mate Tea (1500–2000s)
The history of yerba mate tea is quite circuitous, reaching great heights of commercial expansion and sharply plummeting to total industry collapse. Below, I’ve highlighted the major events of mate’s development from the 1500s when Europeans discovered the Guaraní Tribe of Paraná consuming mate, to the 2000s where mate has found footing in the global […]
3 Insanely Powerful Green Herbs to Heal the Body
Chlorophyll is responsible for the green color of plants. With sufficient light, plants rely on chlorophyll to produce food. Humans are also able to leverage the power of this verdant compound, helping us to detoxify the body and protect the heart. But just because a plant is green, it doesn’t mean it’s a powerful contender […]
How to Roast Yerba Mate at Home
Today we’ll show you how to roast yerba mate at home in your own oven. Ever try roasted mate? If you haven’t, oh man…, you’re missing out on some real deliciousness. Roasted mate tastes a bit like dark roasted coffee. It’s super rich and bold, with subtle caramel tones. Give it a shot. We used […]
