There are drinks that are best enjoyed in a container specially designed for them, as is the case of mate, a utensil created for the infusion of the same name and that for Argentines represents a family tradition
There is a great variety of materials available: glass, silicone, plastic, wood, etc. Each one of them has different characteristics and allows the consumption of mateadas with special details
In Pampa Drugstore you can get this instrument created specifically for the preparation of mate and that receives the homonymous name. Wooden gourds made from hard, semi-hard trunk of Argentine origin and that provide all the original and autochthonous flavor of that country
Peculiarities of wooden mates
Wooden mates are those made from the trunk of a tree. Normally, orange, pine, carob or oak trees, among others, are used
A mate of this type gives a different flavor to the beverage, filling it with that woody touch that many people like. However, it has other characteristics that are worth highlighting:
- They bring a special flavor
As it happens with some wines and beers, mate that is prepared and drunk in a wooden container made for this purpose acquires a special flavor with the touch of the wood with which it has been made
- They admit creative shapes and details
Although mates have a very specific shape, in the case of those that are made in wood, they especially admit a handmade and native form of the regions, so they bring a lot of culture and history behind the preparation and consumption of the beverage
- They need a curing process
Once the elaboration of a wooden mate is finished, it cannot be used immediately, as it needs to go through a strict curing process to avoid cracking and the transfer of the material's own elements.
- They must be made with a certain type of wood
There is a great variety of trees whose wood can be used for the creation of a mate. However, not all of them are suitable to obtain a quality one. It is necessary that the wood is hard or at least semi-hard to achieve a good result and that the mate does not crack, even if it is properly cured
how to cure a wooden mate?
It is important to use the most appropriate types of wood when making a wooden mate: hard trunks with little aroma, but also to carry out the curing process efficiently before using it in order to prevent it from cracking
To do so, the following steps must be followed:
- Select the ingredient
To cure a wood mate you need a fatty element of animal or vegetable origin. Generally, lard is used
- Spread the mate
Only on the inside, you should spread the mate with the fat and let it rest for at least 24 to 48 hours
- Add yerba mate
After 48 hours, add the plants with which you prepared the mate before and leave them in the container for a similar period of time. This process should be repeated at least 2 or 3 times.
- Rinse
Once the indicated time has elapsed, remove the herbs and rinse the container with plenty of warm water. It is important that you do not use any type of chemical product or detergent to rinse (not even a sponge), just water and, if you wish, a clean cloth
Tips for buying wooden gourds
When buying a wooden gourd you should pay attention to certain points
- The type of wood
The quality of the mate and the characteristic flavor of the mate you prepare with it will depend to a great extent on the wood used in its production. Many people like the taste of the mate that is ingested in a palo santo container, while others prefer oak or pine wood
- Its shape
There are different types of mate according to its shape, which will depend on the material used to make it and the preference of its creator. However, in the specific case of wooden mates, they usually have the shape of a jar, pore or porongo, being these the most appropriate to elaborate a good mateada
Tips for maintaining wooden mates
Wooden mates are one of the most delicate. In order to enjoy them for a long time, it is important to follow these tips:
- Do not hit them
The most important thing is to avoid dropping them
- Keep them clean
Once the mate has been prepared and drunk, you should extract the yerba delicately and rinse it only with water
- Dry them
It is essential that in the cleaning process, once the containers have been rinsed, you proceed to dry them, preferably with paper napkins or a clean cotton cloth
what types of wooden gourds do we have at Pampa Drugstore?
In Pampa Drugstore we have a wide variety of Argentinean wooden gourds, such as
- Lacquered wooden gourd
It is a product of Argentine origin elaborated with pine wood. The lacquered mate has an approximate height of 8 cm, a depth of 4 cm and a diameter of 4,50 cm of opening
- Carved wooden mate
The carved wooden mate is made with carob wood, it is also of Argentine origin and has a carved design in the wood that gives it a very original touch
- Wooden mate lined with aluminum
This model is also made of pine wood, but it is completely covered in aluminum to provide a top quality thermal system. The wood matte lined in aluminum is one of the most efficient models in our catalog
Buy wood matte online
No matter what your choice is, any of the gourds you will find in Pampa Drugstore are of high quality and have the best prices, especially in the case of wooden gourds, which you can easily buy through our online platform.
We have the widest catalog of Argentine products to buy Argentine wooden gourds from Spain or other European countries
