Yerba Mate

Yerba mate (sher ba mä te) is a popular South American drink similar to tea. It is brewed from the dried leaves and stems of the plant Ilex paraguayensis. First time mate drinkers in New Zealand often describe a taste similar to green tea. However to the connosieur yerba mate is an experience best shared with friends. Like other teas, the leaves are dried, chopped, and ground into a powder (known as "yerba"). However, yerba mate is traditionally sipped from a hollow gourd (known as a “mate"), through a special straw called a "bombilla" (bom-bee-zha) which literally means "little pump" in Spanish.