Magic Mate

Mate in all of it's gourd-y glory.

Mah-tay, as it's pronounced, is literally the nation's pasttime (aside from unsolicited advice). It's really more of a ritual than a drink, as groups of friends or family normally sit together and share one. It's served with extremely hot water in a hollowed out gourd. The straw has a circular filter at the bottom to avoid the whole "you have green leaves in your teeth" conversation.

In Argentina, you will find mate drinkers everywhere; in the park, at work, in the car. It goes where they go.The grocery store has a full aisle of mate options, and even some fruity flavored kid's options. 

Pretty much anyone at a park drinks mate. This is a hard core three-thermos crowd...

To me, it tastes bitter, but I have been told that with lots of sugar it's good. (What isn't?) The water temperature is what gets me. Add a metal straw to it, and you've got a lawsuit. It's literally scalding. No wonder Argentines don't like any type of spice or flavoring, they've burned off all of their taste buds.

The most convincing place I've seen it sold is at the movies, where it comes in a combo pack, a thermos of mate and a package of fried potatoes. The "cine-mate" combo. Clever.

Sadly, the Museo del Mate was closed and we weren't able to visit while on our road trip, but maybe next time!

Hot water machines are available pretty much everywhere.

This is typically what people carry around: thermos, mate leaves and soda for the kids. 

Our road trip last summer took us through the Misiones province, where mate is grown and harvested.