Mate (beverage)

Mate, is a traditional South American infusion. It is prepared from steeping dried leaves of yerba mate in hot water. It is the national drink in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and drinking it is a common social practice in parts of Brazil, Chile, eastern Bolivia, Lebanon, Syria, Argentina and Turkey. In Brazil, it is considered to be a tradition typical of the “Gaúchos”, name given to those born in Rio Grande do Sul. The drink contains caffeine and has a pungent taste like a cross between green tea and coffee, with hints of tobacco and oak.