On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 14:30:21 GMT, Dada wrote:

> Today I have bought MATE. Very nice taste, really good.
> I would like to know if any one of you have some experience with this
> kind of infusion. I know it is not a tea, but I think a tea drink
> should like it.
> About quantity: how much MATE do you use for a cup? The instruction
> are not really clear. They sei 3/4 of a particuar pumpkin they use in
> Brasil to drink it. I don't owe any pumpkin like that, but only a
> poor, simple tea cup. 3/4 of a cup looks really a lot. Levy Strauss
> (it is written on the package) used an handful of it for one person. I
> poured it by rough estimate. The taste was good, but I am not sure I
> made a good mate. How many tea spoons do you use usually?
> The MATE I bought has broken lieves inside: any quality has so? Do you
> know any site or book about this drink?
> I am sorry if I am off topic: i wish I don't.
> Thanks

Mate is traditionally consumed from a gourd (pumpkin) through a
bombilla (straw with a filter screen at the bottom).
Traditionally/historically, bombillas were wooden. These days, they're
mostly metal.

The gourd is filled 3/4 full with loose mate, sometimes sugar, and
then topped off with boiling water. It is then consumed through the
bombilla, which keeps the leaves in the gourd. When the mate water is
completely drained, more water is added. This process is repeated
several times with no appreciable decrease in flavor - although the
steeping time gets longer. (at least that's my experience).

As you noted, the amount used is typically dependent upon the size of
the container. And it's likely that, outside of a gourd, you're not
going to do the heavy infusions that are traditionally consumed.

You already answered to your own question, in my opinion. You said
your mate tasted good. If it tastes good to you, that's what really
counts. It may not be the typical way of making it, but it works for
you.

Otherwise, you'll need to get yourself a gourd and bombilla and try it
the "traditional" way.

You can find more information at: http://www.noborders.net/mate/

--
Derek

The journey of a thousand miles sometimes ends very, very badly.