Question 1

Is it smoked or unsmoked?

Accepted Answer

Unsmoked.

Question 2

Is it smoked?

Accepted Answer

It isn't. It is a lovely yerba mate, and I fully recommend it.

Question 3

is it finely milled? is it a powder or loose leaves?

Accepted Answer

It is dried, and fairly finely chopped loose leaves and stems. So it isn't a powdery format, but isn't whole leaves either
Kind regards
UruShop

Question 4

This may sound stupid, but how do I make the tea? I'm used to tea bags.

Accepted Answer

Hi, it is not a silly question, it is not intuitive! But easy when when you get the hang of it, remember practice makes perfect. If you purchase from us at UruShop we also include full photo instructions. The summarised steps are:
1 Get together a mate cup, bombilla, loose leaf yerba, hot water and a little cool water
2 Fill the cup 3/4 full of loose leaf yerba, place your hand over it and shake, returning the cup to a slanted position
3 Add a little cool water and leave to soak for 2 minutes
4 Add a little hot water and leave to soak for 2 minutes
5 Firm up the “bridge” between the dry side and the serving side (optional)
6 Dig in the bombilla
7 Serve hot water into the serving side, sip and repeat!

And I include full instructions also:

What do I Need to Prepare Yerba Mate?
 You’ll need the following items to prepare yerba mate:
Bombilla. A metal or cane straw with filter at one end
Mate. A cup usually made from gourd, wood, cane, horn, ceramic or glass
Hot water. We recommend 82C and using a flask is ideal.
Cool water at room temperature
Loose leaf yerba mate
how to prepare yerba mate what do I need

What do I do to Prepare Yerba Mate?
If you follow these simple steps, your yerba mate will not be too bitter, and your yerba will last longer.

Fill your gourd 3/4 full with yerba mate
how to prepare yerba mate fill 3/4 with yerba
Cover the top with your hand and shake up and down

Remove the dust
Why?
To bring the fine ‘dust’ particles to the top and help prevent blockage of the bombilla.
Return the gourd to a tilted position and you will see the ‘dust’ on your hand, and the yerba will be on a slant (important for the next step).

Next you need to pour in cool water (room temperature is ideal) and allow the water to soak into the yerba. This causes the yerba leaves to swell and prevent blockage of the bombilla

Add cool water and allow to soak in

To continue and prepare yerba mate, now you need to pour a serving of hot but not boiling water on the lower half of yerba (82C is ideal so you don’t burn the yerba) and leave the yerba leaves to continue to swell (inchar).

Why? To infuse the flavour, and also so the leaves are bigger and won’t clog the bombilla. Tip: Use the back of the bombilla to pour the water onto – it helps to prevent burning the yerba.

Once all the water is absorbed (after a couple of minutes), use the bombilla to accentuate the ‘bridge’ – make a wall between to the levels of yerba (one half is wet, the other is higher, and dry).

Press the yerba wall
Then dig in the bombilla with the ‘spoon’ curved towards the middle of the gourd, scrape the bombilla down the outside wall of the gourd on the side where the yerba is wet

Insert the bombilla
Now don’t move the bombilla – each time you move the bombilla significantly the mate will be very bitter!

Your yerba mate is now ready to serve – pour water into the lower side of the yerba.

how to prepare yerba mate serve, sip and repeat
A good sign of the perfect mate is the presence of ‘foam’

The first mate will be the most bitter, and probably quite cold so it is good manners to drink the first one yourself! Finish it all, then pour and serve to the next person. They will finish it all and return it to you. Do the same, and as you go round and round the group, you should try and keep the round in the same order.

Product Dimensions	25 x 12 x 8 cm; 1 kg
Item model number	0102081
Additives	Yerba Mate
Weight	1 Kilograms
Units	1000 gram(s)
Storage Instructions	Keep dry and away from direct sunlight
Serving Recommendation	1 teaspoon or about 2 grams
Brand	Playadito
Format	Bag
Speciality	Herbal, Antioxidant
Caffeine content	80 milligrams
Package Information	Bag
Manufacturer	Playadito
Country of origin	Argentina

Yerba Mate Playadito 1 Kilo Loose Leaf Tea With Stems

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