Tereré

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Tereré or Terere is an infusion of yerba mate, similar to mate but prepared with cold water and ice rather than with hot water, and in a slightly larger vessel. This infusion has its roots in Pre-Columbian America, which established itself as traditional in the Guaranitic region during the time of Guaraní-Jesuit Missions, just as the Jesuit chronicles of the 17th and 18th centuries give certainty.

The Guaraní people call this infusion ka'ay, where ka'a means herb and y means water.

First of all was consumed by the Guaraní natives. It was strengthened during the Guaraní-Jesuit Missions time in the area of that missions. Tereré was spread by the dwellers of that region, and for centuries was a social beverage. People usually prepare one jar of natural water and a "guampa/mate/porongo" (Spanish) / "cuia" (Portuguese) with a "bombilla" (Spanish) / "bomba" (Portuguese) which is shared among the group of people. That area of the Guaraní-Jesuit Missions have a fairly hot climate and this drink is believed to refresh the body and can be a very low-calorie, non-alcoholic beverage. Additionally, it is an important ritual signifying trust and communion.

Many people drink tereré with added medicinal herbs, both medicinal and refreshing. In northeastern Argentina it is commonly prepared either with water, medicinal herbs and ice cubes (called "tereré de agua" (tereré prepared with water)) or citrus, as in south-western Brazil, fruit juices like: lemon, lime, orange or pineapple. Although this practice varies depending on the region, since in Formosa Province (Argentina) it is more normally prepared with medicinal herbs. In Paraguay it is usually prepared with medicinal herbs, with the exception of the citrus juice preparation which is often prepared in the South of that country. Mixing fruit juices with tereré is commonly called "tereré de jugo" (tereré prepared with juice)-in northeastern Argentina- or "tereré ruso" (Russian tereré) -more used in Paraguay- because this practice is more common with Slavic immigrants in the northeast of Argentina and southern paraguay.

Guampas/Mates/Cuias are a kind of glass that can be made from animal horns, usually made from cattle horns, but some people made guampas from stainless steel, wood, mate/porongo (a kind of cucurbit native from South America), or silver. The new guampa/mate/cuia or the one not used for some time needs to be watered before use, because the lower part of the cuia is usually capped with a round piece of wood. By filling the guampa/cuia with water the wood expands, covering all leaks in the guampa/cuia. Guampas, mates and Cuias are also made from wood and covered in leather or steel.

Bombilla is a metal straw with a filter at the end. The yerba mate is placed at the bottom of the guampa, and as water is added the bombilla drinks from the guampa the clear green liquid.