Judging by the reviews, for many consumers tea is a common prosaic and uninteresting drink. The reason for this attitude is that we drink it almost every day. In addition, we are preparing it incorrectly. Surrogate and instant tea drinks in sealed bags are mainly presented to consumers. According to experts, in fact, tea exotics is not limited to black, green, hibiscus and green with jasmine. There are also various natural herbal drinks with herbs and spices. For example, some beginners are interested in how to brew mate tea. Of course, it is not inferior to many other drinks, but it is not offered everywhere in every cafe or shop. In general, this drink is for everybody. You will learn about how to brew mate correctly from this article.
Acquaintance with the products
Before you are interested in how to brew mate, you should understand what this plant is. According to experts, mate is also called Paraguayan holly.
For the first time, the collection, drying and processing of holly leaves began in Argentina. This country is considered the birthplace of mate. This drink has a tart, aromatic and rather specific taste, which was appreciated not only by Argentines. Later, the tradition of brewing this drink migrated to South America. In European countries, mate began to be used in the era of the conquistadors. It is noteworthy that the attitude in this tea in Europe was ambiguous. He enjoyed the greatest popularity among the colonists and sailors, who became addicted to mate quite quickly. This tea was perceived by the Jesuit priests as devilish, since the ministers of the church associated it with the Indian pagan rites.
About taste
Those who do not know how to brew and drink mate should be warned that the taste of this drink is rather unusual. Of course, he, like green tea, has a golden yellow color. Nevertheless, their taste qualities are very different. If mate is brewed poorly, then it can be confused with tart herbal tea. Well-brewed has a sweet taste with bitterness and a long tart aftertaste. Judging by the numerous consumer reviews, mate can quite strongly affect the taste buds. As a result, after drinking this tea you will most likely lose your appetite. This explains why those who want to lose weight are often interested in the question of how to make mate tea. Nevertheless, if this drink is prepared according to all the rules, then it will give you all the sensations thanks to which lovers of tea culture around the world like it. More on this later.
About composition
It should be noted that mate has a rather high concentration of caffeine. However, getting used to this tea will not come even if you drink it regularly. This drink contains vitamins and minerals in its composition, namely A, B, C, E, R. Mate is rich in large amounts of sodium, iron, potassium, chlorine, manganese and sulfur. In general, the total amount of biologically active nutrients is 196. The alkaloids contained in its composition give a sweetish taste to the drink. After a chemical analysis, scientists found that mate is also rich in organic acids (nicotinic, stearic and ursulic), vanillin and rutin. Proteins and resins are present in moderation.
What capacity to cook?
Before brewing mate, purchase special dishes. According to experts, it is customary to cook it not in a teapot or in a cup, but in a special vessel called calabash. It is equipped with a special tube - a bombilla. For the manufacture of classic calabash using pumpkin peel. We need a special variety, namely lagenaria.
Today, on the shelves of specialized stores there are calabash made from a wide variety of materials. Specialists recommend giving preference to vessels made of natural materials, namely ceramics, bone, glass or wood. In such calabash, the temperature of the liquid is best preserved. Bamboo became the material for making the tube (bombillery) from which mate is drunk. A special flat mouthpiece equipped with a filter in the form of a strainer is attached to it. Its task is to prevent grass from getting into the mouth.
How much tea leaves do you need?
How to brew mate? How many infusions will be required? Experts recommend filling 2/3 of the calabash volume. If you want the drink to turn out not to be very strong, then pour in the infusions of no more than three teaspoons. It can be yellow-green leaves, twigs, or vegetable dust. Before brewing mate, the vessel should be rinsed and thoroughly wiped. Only then can dry leaves fall into it. For those who do not know how to brew mate in calabash, experts advise tilting the dish a little - welding should lie on one of its walls. To the opposite apply a bomb.
How to brew mate? First stage
Mate can be prepared using the most common non-carbonated drinking water. For this tea it is not necessary to look for any particular source. First, a small amount of water is poured into the calabash. At this stage, use cold, hot or room temperature. Judging by the reviews, this does not matter. The main thing is that the welding inside the vessel is wetted. After soaking the mate of water, it acquires the consistency of a thick moist slurry.
Second step
Now in a separate container you need to heat the water to a temperature of 80 degrees. You can boil it first, and then cool to the desired rate. After that fill the calabash to the top. Experts do not recommend using too hot water. The fact is that in this case, the brewing of mate will give tannins in larger quantities, as a result of which the brewed tea will be quite bitter. Prepare a drink for two minutes. If this process lasts longer, then the tea will also turn out to be very bitter.
About subsequent brewing a drink
When your calabash is empty, you can refill it with hot water. To keep it cool, keep it in a thermos. In this case, you will not need to heat it again, and then cool to 80 degrees. According to experts, you can do this no more than three times. Due to the fact that the main part of bitterness will leave the leaves at the first brewing, the drink during the next two will become significantly softer and will not be so bitter. If you do not have calabash, then you can use a regular kettle. About how to brew mate in a teapot, further.
European way of cooking
This is the name of this method of brewing mate. First of all, pour the teapot into the kettle. You will need five tablespoons per liter of water. When the leaves are inside the container, fill the kettle with water. The drink should be infused for no more than five minutes. After this time, the liquid can be poured into cups. At this stage, it is advisable to use a strainer that filters the blades of grass. This cooking method is considered classic. How to brew mate in a teapot so that the drink has a slightly changed taste? In this case, experts recommend making a cold cocktail. To do this, use three tablespoons of tea leaves. Water, which will be filled with leaves, should have room temperature. The liquid will be infused for ten minutes. Before pouring tea into glasses, put mint leaves, vanilla pods, honey or add fruit juice in a container. Judging by the numerous consumer reviews, such a mate turns out to be very tasty and tonic.
How to drink?
It is believed that mate is a drink that unites people. Therefore, the traditional way is to drink in a circle from a common calabash. In the assembled company, one person is appointed responsible for this vessel. It is he who will ensure that the calabash is constantly filled with liquid, and also maintain the temperature of the mate. Thus, he becomes the host and leader of the tea ceremony. He must warm the water, brew the mate, taste it (it is he who gets the bitter part of the drink), and then pass the bomb with the mouthpiece further in a circle. Of course, it is not forbidden to use mate alone. Judging by the reviews, many drink this drink for their own pleasure.
Finally
Those who decide to start drinking mate should remember the specific composition of this drink. Regular use of this tea can affect your physical and psycho-emotional state. It can easily relieve you of the symptoms of insomnia, stress, anxiety and depression. Mate is used as a tonic, firming and immunostimulating agent. Many consumers notice that after a cup of tea drowsiness, apathy disappears, it becomes easier for them to concentrate. Despite the undeniable advantages, mate is not without some drawbacks. If you drink it every day, then most likely you will significantly harm your esophagus, bladder and even lung. In addition, scientists argue that the appearance of pathogenic neoplasms is directly related to the use of mate.