A preparation at the heart of tradition with mate accessories

To prepare mate in a traditional way, you will need a gourd. This product comes from a climbing plant called the calabash tree. Thanks to its gourd shape, the calabash, which will be dried and hollowed out, will serve as a natural container for tasting yerba mate. It is one of the essentials for discovering this drink from Argentina.
There are different types of gourds, other than the traditional calabash. They can be made from materials such as wood, glass, silicone, or ceramic. When tasting organic yerba mate, the flavor will vary depending on the material used to make the cup. Additionally, you will not clean it the same way depending on the container. Your choice will therefore depend on your expectations and the price you are willing to pay.
For a unique and traditional tasting experience, the vegetable mate gourd is perfect. Indeed, if you are a tea enthusiast, you will be delighted by its flavor, as if you were in South America. However, if you are new to this field, you may prefer ceramic or glass accessories to fully appreciate this infusion.

How to choose your bombilla?

For a complete tasting experience, the gourd cup is not sufficient. The bombilla is one of the mate accessories that will be essential. Thanks to this straw, you won't need to remove the infused tea leaves with a teaspoon. Indeed, it will have two important functions:

• The first: it will allow you to drink the infusion.
• The second: it will serve as a filter.

This straw can be made with various materials such as alpaca, wood, stainless steel, and even aluminum. This mate straw also exists in different shapes. Before investing in a bombilla, you should consider its size, the diameter of its holes, its heat resistance, its quality, etc. Also, you should check its compatibility with your gourd to fully experience this tradition.
If you are a beginner in yerba mate tasting, you probably won't want to invest in expensive products at first. That's why we recommend using a stainless steel bombilla. This type of product is often found at an affordable price. Do you prefer to proceed as they do in Argentina? In this case, you'll opt for the traditional alpaca straw.

How to clean your mate accessories?

Maintaining and cleaning your utensils are steps not to be neglected. Indeed, this is part of the preparation, especially if you have a traditional bombilla and mate gourd.
Let's discover the four steps to wash your artisanal gourd:

• Step 1: Cure your cup before the first use. Since it's a dried gourd, you need to scrape it well. This will have a positive impact on its resistance and also on the taste of yerba mate.
• Step 2: Discard the tea leaves after drinking your infusion. Water increases the density of the mate, and this pressure can cause cracks to appear.
• Step 3: Wash your gourd after each use. To do this, simply rinse with hot water (after having previously disposed of the tea leaves).
• Step 4: Dry the gourd well. To prevent mold, it must be completely dry. Let it dry in the sun, and if you can't, place it slightly tilted.

Maintaining your bombilla should also be done regularly. Some products can be opened, which greatly facilitates cleaning. To properly wash your mate straw, you will need to use a special small brush. Insert it into the bombilla and thoroughly scrub all the holes.

To experience unique and indescribable flavors, let yourself be tempted by favorites like organic yerba mate. For this, it is essential to have the right accessories such as a gourd, a bombilla, and even a thermos (to help with infusion). To avoid altering the taste and to keep your accessories durable, it is crucial to clean them properly (regardless of the material choice). You can then continue your taste discovery in the heart of Latin America for longer.

You might also like these other pages:

• The tea spoon
• The teapot
• Tea filters
• Matcha accessories