Mate, Argentina
January 2020 Mate is another big thing in Argentina. Whether you’re walking down a city street, relaxing in a park or embarking on a hike, you’ll see locals clutching a mate cup in one hand and a thermos in the other. This is the drink that never ends - the tea leaves are continuously topped up with the thermos. But what happens when the thermos is empty I hear you say? Never fear! There are vending machines and street stalls designed solely for the purpose of topping up your thermos in exchange for a few pesos. I was excited to try this as the cups are very pretty, with ornate decoration, and the straw doubles up as a filter so you don’t suck up the tea leaves. Sadly, I wasn’t a fan of the incredibly strong and bitter green tea taste, but it was fun to try it. Where to try it? The problem is, that because everyone owns a mate cup, and because it’s generally a social experience – a cup is passed around for everyon...