An ancestral drink
Long before colonization, the Guaraní Indians consumed Ka'a (yerba mate) as an infusion, in gourds, with fresh river water. The first historical references to tereré are those of the Jesuits, who in the 17th century discovered the refreshing and invigorating virtues of yerba mate. Yerba mate is a local shrub (Ilex paraguariensis), whose leaves are roasted and pulverized to make the base of the tereré drink, or Ka'ay'u in Guarani ("yerba mate infusion"). The name "tereré" comes from an onomatopoeia, the representation of the sounds produced during the last three aspirations of the drink: te-re-ré!
Maté or tereré?
Both drinks are herbal teas of yerba mate. While mate is consumed in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, southern Brazil and Chile, tereré is only drunk in Paraguay and the border regions of neighbouring countries. The main difference between maté and tereré? Mate is drunk very hot and tereré iced. Also, in tereré, medicinal herbs are usually added (especially in the morning), called remedios, yuyos, or pohã ñana ("refreshing remedy"). In Paraguay, tereré is eaten at any time of the year. Mate is mostly taken in the morning, but can replace tereré later in the day in winter when one needs to warm up.
The paraphernalia of the terrier
The utensils of the tereré are: a large thermos (or water carafe) that is filled with water and ice cakes; a container called guampa ("horn" in Quechua), where the yerba mate is placed; and finally the bombilla, a kind of straw equipped with a filter that allows the infusion to be sucked up. The thermos must be wide enough to allow for ice packs to be placed in it. It is different from the maté thermos, which is thinner and designed to keep the water hot. Guampa can be made of horn, wood, metal or plastic. The bombilla is usually made of stainless steel, aluminum, bronze or silver, but can also be made of wood (palo santo), or takuara (bamboo). A last element is useful: the mortar, made of palo santo wood, to crush the yuyos, which will then be placed with the water in the thermos flask. And don't worry if you have forgotten your equipment, the tereré de alquiler, "tereré rental" (tereré understood here as the set of equipment and ingredients), is common in the parks and along the roads. It usually costs only 5 000 Gs. Beware of the hygiene conditions all the same! Recently, even " tereré delivery ", the delivery of tereré at home or at the office, has been developing!
Ingredients
Considered a basic necessity, yerba mate is found everywhere. There are many brands and entire supermarket shelves are devoted to them. For the ice cream loaves, no worries either: grocery store, gas station, or even private individuals (" se vende hielo " written on the door). Yuyos can be found on every street corner. At Mercado 4 in Asunción, don't miss the "Paseo de los Yuyos", a whole institution. The vendors are well acquainted with the virtues of each plant. Among the most used: menta'i, cedrón, cocú, cola de caballo, urusu he'ê..
The ritual of the tereré
The ritual is quite similar to that of mate. To prepare the tereré, place the yerba, then the bombilla, in the guampa. Gently pour the iced water over the yerba, but do not mix with the bombilla. Let the yerba absorb the water little by little, then suck up the refreshing liquid. What a pleasant sensation! When several people share a tereré, one of them is in charge of cooking it and serving the people one after the other. This is the cebador. The custom is that it is the youngest of the group (the pahague "the last of the children"). The cebador serves himself first and drinks the tereré first, before serving the others throughout the "tereré jere" ("circle of tereré"). But beware, " El primer sorbo es para Santo Tomás " (the first sip is for St. Thomas). Traditionally, the first tereré must be served at close quarters. When the water is completely absorbed by the yerba, it means that Santo Tomas, the patron saint of the yerba mate, gives us his blessing to be able to continue. The cebador can then put back some water and suck up the iced liquid. He serves the next person and passes him the guampa. He does the same for each person of the group. The guampa flows in principle from the right to the left, and everyone's turn is scrupulously respected. Beware of the classic beginner's mistake: saying spontaneously " ¡ gracias! "when returning the guampa to the cebador. We'll skip your turn from now on! "Thank you" means that you just don't want to be tereré anymore! You have to be brave to serve tereré, because it can last a long time. The cebador will sometimes have to change the grass, refill the water in the thermos flask, put ice cubes back on..
The bitterness of the yerba mate may be unpleasant for you. The yuyos attenuate it with fresh tastes of mint, verbena, lemon... Unlike Argentines, Paraguayans rarely add sugar or stevia, and have less recourse to flavoured yerba. They do not add fruit juice either, except in this variant called " tereré ruso " which is said to have been invented by Russian or Ukrainian immigrants. Among the many beliefs around the tereré, it is said that if by accident, when taking the guampa loaded with water, the grass spills on the hands of the person holding it, it is a sign announcing prosperity! The tereré with its rites and legends is an integral part of the Paraguayan way of life. Youtubeers Dustin Luque and El Chad have taken inspiration from this to release an excellent parody of the song Ay Bay Bay by rapper Hurricane Chris, a fun tribute to tereré: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfdDWHZNS6g
Properties of terrier
Yerba mate is rich in vitamins (A, B, C and E) and minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, iron, phosphorus). It has antioxidant effects and invigorates the nervous and muscular systems. It also promotes digestion. Paraguayan advice: never drink tereré on an empty stomach! Always eat something beforehand, because of the diuretic effects of the drink. The famous "tereré rupa" ("tereré bed") often consists of an empanada with a piece of bread, or "ype rova" (the leftovers from the previous day's dinner).
