Chimarrão

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Chimarrão

Chimarrão (pronounced [ʃimaˈxɐ̃ũ]) or cimarrón is a South American traditional beverage. Chimarrão (also known as mate, pronounced [ˈmate]) is a strong tea prepared from the greens of the yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) or 'erva mate', in Portuguese. In Brazil, it is drunk in the states of Santa Catarina, Paraná, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso, and Rondônia, but is most popular and traditionally appreciated in Rio Grande do Sul (a state in southern Brazil). Chimarrão can also be found in countries such as Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia and southern Chile.

1 Preparation
2 Etiquette when drinking
3 The Ritual of Chimarrão [1]
4 See also
5 External links

Preparation

Chimarrão is traditionally prepared in a gourd recipient called “cuia” in Portuguese. The “cuia” is made out of the porongo or cabaça fruit shell, and is many times ornamented in different ways, including in gold and silver. Chimarrão is prepared by filling part of the “cuia” with mate herb, and then turning the “cuia” upside down (holding the herb in) so that the herb is positioned close to the opening of the “cuia” and not on the bottom. The “cuia” is then placed on a horizontal position so that there is only herb on one side of the “cuia” (the side that is now positioned on the bottom), and the other side becomes open. Hot water is then poured on the open side, and is used to harden the mate herb so that it is fixed in that postion, and the “cuia” can then be moved freely. A special metal straw called “bomba” in Portuguese and “bombilla” in Spanish is then placed inside the opening, when the “cuia” is already filled with water.

Etiquette when drinking

Chimarrão is drunk in groups and individually (there are even smaller sized individual “cuias”). In Brazil, when it is drunk in groups, the same “cuia” and “bomba” is used by everyone drinking. In Argentina most of the people use their own. Chimarrão is considered to be a tradition typical of the “Gaúchos”, name given to those born in Rio Grande do Sul. People usually drink chimarrão early in the morning or in the evening, but there are no rules for this. It is appreciated throughout the year. There are some etiquette rules that should be followed when drinking chimarrão:

The person who prepared the chimarrão is usually the first one to drink it (especially if they own the cuia or are the ‘host’). This is because the first mate sips taste bitter and are very strong. Most of the times, the first drinker spits out or pours out these starting sips due to the unpleasant taste.
You cannot drink a half cuia. You must finish the cuia before passing it on to the next person. When there is no more tea, the “bomba” makes a loud sucking noise, that is not considered rude.
Chimarrão drinkers respect the drinking order. You can enter the circle at any point, but you will only drink a second round once the people who drank before you do, keeping the same order.
When one member of the group finishes his/her drink, he/she is to fill the cuia with hot water and offer it (while holding the cuia with the right hand) to the next person. Sometimes, it is acceptable to pass the cuia for the host to fill it, but only if the host expresses a real desire to do so.
It is considered rude to complain about the temperature of the water (saying that it is too hot) and to take too long to finish drinking the cuia
No one but the one who prepared the chimarrão may move with the bombilla. If it clogs, hand it to the person who prepared the mate and ask him/her to handle it.
Do not complain about the taste of the chimarrão, and never add sugar or any sweetener to the chimarrão under any circumstances, since it is considered by most gaúchos as an offense to their culture. Occasionally, different tea herbs and honey can be added, but only by the host.
In some more traditional circles there is a special procedure to clean the cuia. The bombilla should not be used to remove the used tea, but a spoon. After cleaning the cuia just with boiling water, more tea must be poured in order to leave a "protecting" shell, which keeps the cuia dry (avoiding fungus) and also improves the flavor. If that procedure is adopted, prior to making another chimarrão this "shell" must be removed with a spoon.

The tea used to prepare chimarrão is called "erva mate" in Portuguese, or "yerba mate" in Spanish, and its origins come from the Guarani people. Its scientific name is Ilex paraguariensis.

The word chimarrão has its origins in both Spanish and Portuguese.

From the Spanish cimarrón, that means rough, brute, barbarian, word used in almost all of Latin America, from Mexico to the Río de la Plata for domesticated animals that have become wild. The word was then used by the people who colonized the region of the Río de la Plata to describe the natives' rough and sour drink, drunk with no other ingredient to soften the taste.

Cimarrón in Castellano means clandestine. The commerce and use of the herb in Paraguay was made illegal for a while, however it did not stop it from being drunk illegally in what was then a Spanish colony.

The erva mate is a medium-sized evergreen tree that can grow to 20m high in the wild. When cultivated it is generally pruned into a shrubby 2-6 m tall tree to facilitate harvesting. In the wild this tree grows near streams and has graceful, full-leafed branches, white flowers and small red, black, or yellow berries. It is yerba mate's tough, leathery leaves that are used medicinally and as a natural, refreshing tea beverage throughout South America. Yerba mate is indigenous to Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay; however, it is now cultivated in many tropical countries to supply a world demand for its leaves.

Like other teas erva mate contains some caffeine. It does not have any addictive properties different from any other traditional tea or coffee.

Main benefits attributed to erva mate are similar to Japanese green tea: increased energy, improved metabolism, blood cleansing, enhanced immunity and improved digestion. Erva mate is also known to fight free radicals (hence it is anti-carcinogenic) and possibly enhance memory.

Internationally, the erva mate tea is also available in the form of the traditional English style tea bags, sometimes flavored with orange or other flavors and scents.

The Ritual of Chimarrão [1]

Drinking the erva mate is considered to be more than just good for the body; it's also good for the soul. Drinking it can be a form of meditation or reflection - allowing the goodness to infuse into the body while stimulating and resting the mind. Those who share the mate join in a kind of bond of total acceptance and friendship. Generally the server will start a new infusion and then take the first drink. This is considered an act of kindness by the other people in the circle, because usually the first serving is considered the worst.