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Yerba Mate Glossary

Calabaza


Calabash gourd in Spanish. The term calabaza or calabash is used to clarify the gourd material, because the term gourd is used to describe any vessel for drinking mate.

Campo


Countryside in Spanish. When yerba mate is branded as campo it usually means that it was grown on the plains and plantations. This ensures that yerba mate is more exposed to sun and winds.

Canchada


Yerba canchada is the green leaf of yerba mate that has undergone the process drying and is roughly crushed. At this stage yerba mate can be exported and transported to the milling facilities for further grinding and ageing.

Carob wood


South American tree, also known as algarrobo, also known as Prosopis alba. Carob wood is a popular material for gourds because its naturally sweet, fragrant and piney wood contributes to the flavor of mate.

Cebador


From Spanish verb cebar — prime or make. Cebador is the person who prepares the mate. When people gather in circle to drink mate, cebador is the one who prepares mate, hands it to one of the person in group, receives mate back, refills it and hands it to another person.

Con palo


With stems in Spanish. Type of yerba mate cut which is characterized by presence of stems, or palos in Spanish. Usually more light and sweet than sin palo cut. Very popular in Argentina and Paraguay.

Compuesta


Compound in Spanish. Another word for a yerba mate blend. Yerba mate marked as compuesta comes with added herbs, like mint and lemongrass, or even with something like orange zest and green tea.

Chimarrão


Pronounced [she-muh-HOW]. Mate in Portugese. Usually the term chimarrão is used to describe Brazilian way of preparing mate, using erva mate, cuia and bomba.

Cuia


Gourd in Portugese. Term cuia is used to describe relatively big and thick gourds made from a top part of calabash, which are used to drink chimarrão. Also see porongo.

Curing


Process of adapting a new calabash or wooden gourd to mate. Curing of calabash gourd happens when it is filled with yerba mate and hot water to infuse walls of the gourd with mate, which seales little pores and cracks in walls, and also helps to loosen and get rid of the natural debris that are left from calabash hollowing. Curing of wooden gourd happens when it is cared with oils that make wood more elastic and prevent it from cracking.