On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 11:35:15 -0400, Derek > wrote:

Yes, I agree with you. The only doubt I had was if I have tried the
real taste of MATE or not. Maybe it can be a nonsense question, but
thinking to green tea it cannot. If you try a Sencha using boiling
water, it's probable you won't obtain the real Sencha taste. Isn't
true?
How many time have you repeated infusion without loosing quality?
I think I am going in the Amazonic forest to take my gourd and cut it
in the right way to drink MATE. Maybe it would be simplier to buy it.
How did you got it? Did you found the gourd and bombilla in some tea
store?

>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/
>