Yerba Mate

[Paul_B]

Which leads me to wondering where my gourd went. The bombilla is missing too. My partner has two but you need your own.

With or without stems? I am certain I read with stems is better, is that true? Certainly online they make a point of saying "with stems" in the item description / name.

There's loads of brands out there. Some do yerba mate with extras such as guarana or lemon and mint. Tea bags and tea pigs available but that's totally wrong. It's a one fill, loose "leaf" and repeat water topping up kind of all day drink. Can't do that with tea bags I think.

Had to Google chaga. Sounds a wonder food. Wonder if it's available to buy as a tea infusion? I don't fancy looking for it in case I get the id wrong.

TBH my yerba mate thing is about looking for a coffee substitute. I'm not looking for health benefits although high risk of cancer in our family means perhaps chaga should be consumed for its supposed benefits with that. I once got encouraged to try cats claw for health reasons. Bland taste so I gave it up with fennel tea too. I'm kind of a bold flavour type I guess hence coffee is a big part of my diet.

What is in mate that's beneficial or is it just caffeine that's the reason it's drunk so widely?

 

[Paul_B]

Just read that yerba mate contains poly aromatic hydrocarbons. PAH are in cigarettes and are cancer causing. There is some indication yerba mate can contribute to lung and oesopgagal cancers. So in moderation guys. Not that moderation is popular in some South American countries. Obsessive ym drinkers.

 

[Paul_B]

Order placed for mate kit. A nice solid bombilla in stainless steel that can be taken apart for cleaning. A ceramic mate cup (not needed but I liked the look of it besides we are running short of mugs at home to spare one for my work mate cup. Then I got two different mate packs. One has guarana in it and the other has other stuff in it aimed at digestive health. Both from an Argentinian brand that's well regarded for making quality flavoured mates. CBSe brand.

BTW does anyone know about cat's claw? I've been told it's good for upset stomach. I could do with something and fennel doesn't cut it for me.

 

[Janne]

You can make your paleo style mate cup from a coconut. If you can find a large one.
Straw - I thought of using a length of thin bamboo.

I aleays used a normal tea cup, never had any real stuff.
But this thread - like so many here- gave me the impetus to create.

 

[Paul_B]

Looking at bombilla designs online it seems you could easily make one. It's a straw with a flat end which can contain slits/holes, gauze and / or a spring to filter the dust out.

If you make one and the filter design doesn't work then there's strainers you can get to go over the end. Admittedly pointless because you'll be paying for them when a basic but highly functional bombilla can cost £7 or even less. Of course the fun of making it outweighs all that stuff.

Actually there's a carved bombilla set here online for inspiration.

https://urushop.co.uk/shop/yerba-ma...mboo-bombilla-with-guarani-tribal-engravings/

 

[Broch]

I was thinking on the lines of a hollowed elder twig, sealed at the one end, and drilled with a load of small holes; we use them for quick pipes so it should be fine.

I also wondered if I could use a nut, say hazel, drill a large hole to take the straw end, remove the kernel, and drill that with small holes.

 

[Paul_B]

Would slots be better?

I think you'd have to pick your mate brand well. Something with stems and little dust.

If you used a straight stick with drilled holes you could possibly stretch a spring over the holes as an extra filtration. Could look nice wood and metal. Or is that just my aesthetics?

Well I dithered over purchase of my kit so unlikely to come today and half day tomorrow. I got it delivered priority to my work since I had a present for my partner in among what I bought. I'm hoping RM deliver Friday morning and there's someone in the main office too. Not a guaranteed situation. I can't wait to try mate again.

Is it sacrilege to use a flavoured mate?

 

[Janne]

Do not worry about the tiny leaf debris.
Fiber! Roughage!

We all need to eat more fibers.