From Coffee to Tea

[Hills Bro]

Can you believe it ..I've switched to tea. Not teatley but organic.

This old conservative has gone wacko I guess.

This is my new tea cup..its called a gourd and bombilla.

My tea is harvested in the sub-tropical rainforests of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, home of the yerba mate tree.

Rainforest Mate tea as its described on the package label

("Uniquely grown in its native forest environment, Guayaki Yerba Mate is cherished as a sacred beverage. Like high quality coffee, high quality mate is shade-grown, in the rich ecosystem of the rainforest; delivering more flavor and nutritional value. Sheltered from direct sunlight, rainforest grown yerba mate leaves are dark, emerald green and teeming with nutrients and flavor.

Guayaki Yerba Mate is a work of art. Crafted like a fine wine, it is grown, harvested, and dried according to time – honored traditions. Harvested from the lush subtropical forest, Guayaki hand-picks only the leaves and tender stems. After passing through a flash heating process to protect the antioxidants and nutritional properties, the mate is wood-dried at low-temperature for 24-hours to yield the characteristic “woodsy” Guayaki flavor. Finally, the mate is aged for one year in cedar chambers for a smooth, rich and balanced flavor.

Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) is a small tree native to the subtropical Atlantic forests of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. This evergreen member of the holly family was introduced to modern civilizations by the indigenous Guarani of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. An infusion, brewed from the dried leaves and stems of the tree, is consumed by millions of South Americans as a healthful alternative to coffee. Deemed “The Drink of the Gods” by many indigenous groups in South America and “the green gold of the Indios” by Europeans, yerba mate possesses a multitude of health benefits that have begun to attract the attention of American scientists and consumers.")

Hey you tree hugging liberals ..I'm helping save the rain forest and the Guayaki tribe :confused: . The tea is pretty good. The gourd and bombilla really collect some attention. All the liberals think I'm cool until I tell them I drive an SUV, carry a legal firearm. It's great to be an individual..don't you think?

[GarthP2000]

Wait till you start wearing sandals and Birkenstocks. ((ducking))

[Kit Sober]

When my brother Pete was in the Peace Corps (circa 1964-67???) he went to Uruguay, and when he came back he brought some of those things for us, including a special bombilla of silver. He had matte with the gauchos on the pampas. He loved it, but had to quit it because the matte is hi caffeine and made his hands shake.

The way they "drank" it was to heap matte and sugar in there and keep adding matte, sugar and hot water.

Some of his friends came over from Argentina and stayed at our folks' house. Pete and his friends would stay up late playing cards, laughing, and drinking their matte.

p.s. you also need a pancho for the picture. The matte gourd is also like a handwarmer when sitting around with your friends having a good time.

Nice memories. Thanks.

(Pete wasn't the old guy he is today, at that time he was a young twenty-something who taught the people to swim in the lake they had there. He taught swimming for the Red Cross in Brazil afterwards.)

So my word of caution -- the caffeine in matte is just as nice and socially endearing and jittery as coffee.

[Dot Matrix]

I use a tea straw and have the same bong looking thing I drink from. I got it through Wisdom teas.

We love it!

[washingtonweather]

Garth - even our republicans wear birks here in the New Mexico...land of Richardson...of course that would be with pony tails on their way to court.

[likeaneagle]

Hillsbro

Does your tea have warnings listed...? does it have medicinial properties?

[dmiller]

I use a tea straw and have the same bong looking thing I drink from. I got it through Wisdom teas.

We love it!

Did someone say *bongs*???

[GarthP2000]

Did someone say *bongs*???

That would require a different kind of 'tea'. ... The kind that's smoked. ;)

[dmiller]

That would require a different kind of 'tea'. ... The kind that's smoked. ;)

Hmmmm. Tea, with a slightly distinctive *smokey* taste to it.

Kind of like Darjeeling -- that is reminiscent of a tar rope dragged through

a cup of water, and boiled to a proper potable consistancy.

(I'll take a good cuppa joe any day of the week, over tea!)

[Hills Bro]

What happened to my gourd and bombilla

http://www.guayaki.com/

Based on this energy meter I guess you could smoke it in your bong and get a nice buzz . For that matter you could probably smoke viagra in your bong for a lengthly buzz :eusa_clap:

http://www.guayaki.com/index.php?p=health&id=138

Whats a little caffeine anyway? Whats the worst thing that can happen? Your heart stops beating.

http://www.guayaki.com/index.php?p=press&id=1041

Holy Water in a bottle or gourd..make your choice.

Edited April 15, 2007 by Hills Bro