The Mate 'Cebado'
It is prepared in a small gourd —called mate— filled with yerba mate. The infusion is made pouring hot water below boiling point into it —cebando— and it is drunk by sipping through a thin metal tube —bombilla— which has a filter at its lower end to prevent the loose leaf yerba mate from coming through. This is how it is traditionally prepared; more than a simple drink it is a daily performed ritual. The gourd can also be replaced with a glass tumbler. 

	Fill three-quarters of the mate with yerba. The level must be correct: it is just as bad to have too much as too little yerba.
	Cover the mouth of the mate, turn it upside down and shake it several times to distribute the yerba. This way the thicker components of the grinding will go to the bottom, helping to keep the bombilla’s filter free and unclogged.
	As you turn the mate back right side up, check that the yerba stays at and angle of approx. 45º so that a cavity is formed on one of the sides. Moisten it with a small amount of cold water, and then repeat the operation with hotter water.
	Wait until the yerba absorbs the water and only then introduce the bombilla into the moistened area so that it will be firm and leaning against the wall of the mate. Pour the water at a temperature of 70º to 80º C, never boiling.

How to cure a mate gourd
Preparing your gourd for the first time is important.. If you have a new gourd, fill it with yerba, thoroughly soaking it. Allow it to rest for two days, keeping the yerba always wet. After the two days, clean the gourd, scraping its interior and eliminating any soft wood. Repeat the entire procedure at least three times, making sure that the yerba does not ferment in the process, so that it does not give the gourd a disagreeable flavor. If you do not have a good gourd, it is better to use a glass or plastic container

Sterilising the straw (bombilla)
Ideally, before using your new bombilla, it should be put in boiling water for 3-5 min for sterilisation.

The importance of storing the Yerba properly
Yerba mate must be stored in an airtight container that protects it from light and humidity, away from strong-smelling foods and cleaning products that might contaminate it. The original packaging of all the types of yerba produced by Las Marías is trilaminated and it is made of compound materials that constitute an excellent barrier for humidity and foreign smells, as long as, once opened, the package is closed by making at least one fold.

How to start a good mate
Knowing how to start a mate properly is the key to a pleasant, lasting flavor. An excellent yerba can be ruined by a bad start, turning bitter, aggressive and short lived. For a good start, use a medium-sized gourd, well cured, with a 1.5 to 2 oz. capacity, filling it to no more than ¾ of it. Cover the mouth of the gourd with the palm of your hand, turn it upside down and shake it vigorously so that the thicker components will go to the bottom of the gourd and the thin ones on top. Turn it to its normal position, carefully keeping the yerba to one side of the gourd so that it leaves an empty cavity on the other wall of the container. Pour cold or lukewarm water in this cavity; never use hot water. Wait some thirty seconds so that it will be absorbed, repeat the operation and then insert the sipping tube into the moistened part. When the time comes to enjoy a mate infusion, it must be served slowly, with water that should not go higher than 176o F. Pour the water near the sipping tube at the beginning, and then advance towards the center. Never rush the serving; it is better to wait some time between one mate and another.

Taste Testing
Although preference for one type of flavor or another is subjective, when tasting yerba, as when tasting other drinks, there are certain parameters that can be followed to judge the quality of this infusion objectively. o During the visual evaluation of the product, the color perceived should be light, yellowish green, never intense, emerald or dark green. As the mate is poured, it should foam up slightly. o The grinding should be harmonious, even: there should not be too much stem or fiber (broken stem); it should have some powder, but not in excess, and a good amount of broken leaves. o The aroma is also important; it must be the characteristic smell of well seasoned yerba and should present no vestiges of dampness of foreign aromas. When yerba has not been properly seasoned, it presents a stronger, darker color of green, a noticeable bitter taste and a very strong “vegetable” taste that in some cases resembles the taste of algae. With good seasoning, the bitter streaks are attenuated, and a slightly fruity, subtly sweet taste appears. Obviously, their varies among the different varieties of yerba, according to the climate and geographical area in which it grows, the time of year in which it is harvested or the type of processing it is subjected to.