Polish people love their vodka dutch people love their liqorice and argentinian people absolutely loveeee their mate. Yerba mate is dried, chopped leaf of llex paraguayensis which preparation is a ritual and social event:) it's prepared in a gourd which needs to be almost filled with yerba and then hot water needs to be poured over it (not boiling because than it burns the yerba). There is always one person who prepares mate and later on is responsible for refilling it and passing it to everyone. Everybody shares the same gourd and the same silver straw with filter on it (so filtering with your teeth is not necessary). It tastes a bit like really strong green tea, bitter and really herby. Argentina is the biggest producer and consumer of it which is visable everywhere! Doesn't matter if one goes to the beach or skiing, there always needs to be a thermo with hot water and mate gourd. That necessity created an unbelievable market for hot water. We have seen signs with (agua caliente -hot water) absolutely everywhere! In kiosks, hotels, gift shop, you name it!
