How To Cure The Traditional Maté Gourd

How to cure the Maté gourd.

1. The Maté Gourd infusion must be prepared using a cured gourd. The curing process for the traditional gourd is a one to two week process. The Gourds are divided in two categories: curable and incurable. Incurable gourds are those made of non-porous Matterials (glass, metal, china, etc.). They are a great clean way to use Mendo Maté Yerba Maté because they can be washed, and, therefore, are able to provide a different experience.
2. The curing process is divided in two steps: before the first use (or proper curing) and the curing that results from the everyday use of the gourd with only one kind of infusion (for example pure Maté with no additives). The proper curing has two purposes: the removal of soft tissues and the adaptation of the gourd to the particular kind of infusion.
3. For the removal of soft tissues, fill the gourd with used Yerba Maté add hot water and let stand for a day. It is better to use pure Yerba Maté and not Yerba Maté that was used with sugar because the latter decomposes easily. Next day, remove the Yerba, rinse the gourd and scrap the soft tissues. Repeat the whole process one more time. For the adaptation to "black" Maté or cimarrón (that is pure Yerba Maté with no additives like sugar), fill the gourd with fresh Yerba Maté and add boiling water. Please note this is only for curring purposes, you do not ever use boiling water when you are planning on drinking the Yerba. Let stand for a day. Repeat for two or three days if you feel like it. For "sweet" Maté, first add two or three Teaspoons of sugar and a small piece of burning coal. Cover the gourd mouth and shake vigorously to burn the sugar homogeneously. Empty the gourd and proceed as for the cimarrón Maté.