

Cleary, Brooklyn's mate culture is brewing. It is usually drunk with friends and served in a hollow calabash gourd. The drink, which contains mateine (an analog of caffeine), is made by an infusion of dried leaves of yerba mate ( Ilex paraguariensis ).

"It was a total surprise for us because we thought nobody would share and they ended up doing just that," she laughs. Mate is a traditional drink in some countries in South America, especially in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia and Brazil. The genus Ilex comprises about 450 species growing in the tropical regions of South America and Asia. They caught up and laughed, then did something Ferreyra found surprising: They passed the gourd. Ilex paraguariensis A.St.-Hil., of the Aquifoliaceae family, is a tree whose leaves ( Mate folium ), after being dried and roasted, are used to prepare the Paraguayan tea known as Yerba Mate. The next day she touched base via text and let me know that she loved the. I opened a brand new bag of a popular brand and made my morning drink while bagging some for her. On the opening weekend, she says, five groups of friends squeezed into the space. This weekend I dropped off a bit of Yerba Mate for a friend who was interested in trying it she currently drinks coffee for the caffeine boost but does not like the flavor. “Mate is a tradition that you share with friends and family, and that’s what we wanted to create,” says Ferreyra. If you're in a rush, you can still pick up a creamy mate latte or espresso-spiked mate on your way to the train, but, at a time when most coffee shops specialize in attracting anti-social, laptop-wielding freelancers or churning out to-go orders, the owners of Porteñas are hoping people will linger. This yerba mate has a stronger, smokier flavor than most, so it’s a great choice if you want a bold flavor profile. (It would not be advised to consume a liter of mate on your own.) The first sip is the most bitter, and the flavor mellows over time as the tea is diluted. Cruz de Malta Yerba Mate Check price at Amazon For true, authentic, loose-leaf yerba mate from Argentina, try Cruz de Malta Yerba Mate. Yerba mate is also consumed around the world in energy drinks, weight loss supplements, and other beverages. The beverage is consumed like coffee or tea predominantly in Central and South American countries. This rotation is part of yerba mate’s ritual, and it also distributes the caffeine. Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a South American plant whose leaves are used to make a beverage called mate.
