Yerba Mate is a product with unquestionable qualities, and is an ideal drink to enjoy at all times, by all ages. There are two ways of preparing it, though for each there are as many variations as there are consumers.

(1) THE EASY WAY:
Treat yerba mate just like any other tea. Put a teaspoon-full in a cup and pour in hot water. Let it steep for a few minutes and strain the leaves if you wish then drink. Flavor to taste. Nothing magic here. You can drink it hot or cold. We fill a quart with hot water and add 5-7 teaspoons of loose tea and let it steep then we drink it all day and into the evening.

(2) SOUTH AMERICAN TRADITIONAL MANNER:

POURED MATE:
It´s prepared in a small gourd (called the "mate"), filled two thirds full with yerba mate. The infusion is obtained by pouring hot water that should not have been boiled (ideally 80°C), into the mate gourd. It is drunk through a metal straw that has a filter in its lower tip (the "bombilla"), so that particles don´t get drawn in. This is the traditional method of preparation in Argentina, where it turns more into daily ritual than a simple drink. A glass or metal cup can also be used instead of the "mate" gourd.

KEYS TO A CORRECT SOUTH AMERICAN PREPARATION:
- The mate gourd is filled with yerba mate up to two thirds of its volume.
- Then, the yerba on one side is wet with a large spoonful of cold or warm water.
- After a minute, the metal straw or "bombilla" is introduced in the same spot, until it reaches the bottom of the gourd.
- Hot water, but never boiling, can then be poured on the same side of the cup, taking care not to wet the whole surface of mate leaf. This pouring procedure is called "cebar" in Argentina, and it is considered an art by the aficionados of mate.

CUP MATE (Mate Cocido)
Mate can be prepared in a cup using loose leaves, just like any other infusion like tea. It is called "mate cocido" in Argentina, and Las Marías made its preparation easier when in 1965 it developed a blend for use in paper filter bags, such as those used in teabags. Like many other infusiones, it can be enjoyed hot or cold, and can be sweetened with sugar or honey according to taste. By adding milk, it becomes an ideal drink for children.