Yerba mate is widely known as the source of the beverage called mate. It is traditionally consumed in central and southern regions of South America, particularly Argentina, Bolivia, southern and center-western Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Chile.
It is prepared by steeping dried leaves of yerba mate in hot water and is served with a metal straw from a shared hollow calabash gourd. The straw is traditionally made of silver.
Mate is traditionally drunk in a particular social setting, such as family gatherings or with friends. The same gourd is used by everyone drinking. One person (known in Portuguese as the preparador, cevador, or patrão, and in Spanish as the cebador) assumes the task of server. Typically, the cebador fills the gourd and drinks the mate completely to ensure that it is free of particulate matter and of good quality. In some places, passing the first brew of mate to another drinker is considered bad manners, as it may be too cold or too strong; for this reason, the first brew is often called mate del zonzo (mate of the fool). The cebador subsequently refills the gourd and passes it to the drinker to his or her right, who likewise drinks it all (there is not much; the mate is full of yerba, with room for little water), without thanking the server; a final gracias (thank you) implies that the drinker has had enough. The cebador possibly drinks the second filling, as well, if he or she deems it too cold or bitter. When no more tea remains, the straw makes a loud sucking noise, which is not considered rude. The ritual proceeds around the circle in this fashion until the mate becomes lavado (washed out), typically after the gourd has been filled about 10 times or more depending on the yerba used (well-aged yerba mate is typically more potent, so provides a greater number of refills) and the ability of the cebador. When one has had one's fill of mate, he or she politely thanks the cebador, passing the mate back at the same time. When someone takes too long, others in the roda (Spanish: ronda; English: "round") will likely politely warn him or her by saying "bring the talking gourd" (cuia de conversar); an Argentine equivalent, especially among young people, being no es un micrófono ("it's not a microphone"), an allusion to the drinkers holding the mate for too long, as if they were using it as a microphone to deliver a lecture.
Touch the tray to be offered a cup of yerba mate.
The tray is mostly mesh and has a land impact of 2 prims.
As with all our work, we will be happy to customize it for you for an additional fee if you contact Kitty in world. We would also be happy to change the texture on the bar or on any of the drinks contained here in. Contact Kittycat Ninetails inword please.
By the way, custom means we do different textures on the decanter or barrel, and perhaps on the cups/mugs/horns/glass inside plus edit the chatter the cup does. We are more than happy, at no additional fee, to change out any drink in any of the decanters for any others. We have no way of knowing what you like to drink, and do not consider taking a barrel and shifting the drinks in it to something else as custom. That is just good customer service.
Kittycat Ninetails
JohnQ Ballyhoo
Vasa Vella
- serve a cup of yerba mate tea from this tray
