Yerba maté, South America's favourite ritual, now in Sydney. Join the list and be the first to know what's coming.
Yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) is made from the leaves of a holly tree that grows in South America. It's brewed like tea, but it isn't tea. People there drink it all day: hot, cold, or the traditional way from a gourd with a metal straw (bombilla).
Above all, maté is shared. One gourd goes around the group, and everyone gets a turn. Whether it's your first sip or you grew up with it, matécito is for you.
Maté naturally contains caffeine, along with theophylline, which is also found in tea.
The same compound found in cacao, and one more reason maté has its own character.
The leaf naturally contains polyphenols, including chlorogenic acid.
I was born in Argentina and moved to Australia when I was two. Maté has been on the table at home for as long as I can remember, always shared and always passed around.
matécito is my way of blending both my cultures: sharing the goodness of yerba maté and the sense of community that comes with it.
Gabriel
