To prepare maté, one needs hot water, yerba mate leaves, a gourd, and a bombilla straw. The bombilla is inserted into the gourd and covered with yerba mate leaves. Cold water is added and left to soak before pouring hot water over the leaves. The person preparing the maté, called the Matero, drinks the first serving and then passes it around, refilling it about ten times as each person finishes before passing it to the next. Proper etiquette requires drinking it all and not fiddling with the bombilla, passing it on promptly to keep it hot.

1. How to prepare a
maté
Método tradicional

2. Requirements: You’ll need hot water (± 70°C) in a flask or kettle as well as the
following...
Yerba mate
Mate gourd
Bombilla (filter straw)

3. Step 1: Insert bombilla into mate gourd.
* Bombilla is pronounced,
“bombbÍa”

4. Step 2: Add enough yerba mate (2 – 4 tbl spoons) to cover the bombilla’s
head.

5. Have a peak to see how you’re doing.

6. Step 3: Pour about 1 shot of cold water over the yerba mate. Wait about 15
secs.
We do this in
order to protect
the nutrients in
the yerba.

7. Step 4: Pour the hot water into your gourd until the yerba is drenched and
covered by water...
... and she’s ready to go!

8. Maté is a social
drink. The
Matero’s job is to
make sure it is
passed around
and refilled.

9. The one who prepares the mate is called the Matero and has
the privilege of drinking the first one.

10. Etiquette notes of interest.
– When you start drinking a mate, you finish all the water in
the gourd, then pass it back to the Matero, who then tops it
up again and passes the mate to the next person, and so it
keeps going around. One mate is good for about ten refills.
– Once the first mate is poured, nobody is to fiddle with the
bombilla (straw) or try to stir the mate. This is a big DON’T!
You simply hold the cup and drink through the bombilla.
– The mate should keep moving without anybody holding onto
it long enough for it to get cold – not very nice, you won’t be
invited again.
– When you say “thank you” to the Matero it means, “thanks
I’m done”