This post is sponsored by Adagio Teas in conjunction with #IcedTeaDay.
I received product to aid in the creation of the #IcedTeaDay recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
Yerba Mate
You will see other recipes including these teas on my blog, but - for this #IcedTeaDay event - I opted to share a recipe for cold brewed yerba mate.
We are huge tea drinkers in my household. But we usually drink hot tea. So, when I signed up for a National Iced Tea event, I knew I was wading into uncertain waters. Thankfully, our event hostess, Sue of Palatable Pastime enrolled Adagio Teas to sponsor the event! They generously allowed bloggers to pick multiple items to sample and use in recipe development.
I'll admit: I picked my "other items" first. I did a happy jig when I saw that Adagio carried tea pets. Not a tea pot, but a tea pet! I've wanted one ever since we did a tea tasting at Hidden Peak Teahouse in Santa Cruz.
I'll admit: I picked my "other items" first. I did a happy jig when I saw that Adagio carried tea pets. Not a tea pot, but a tea pet! I've wanted one ever since we did a tea tasting at Hidden Peak Teahouse in Santa Cruz.
Meet 'Dagi', pronounced 'dodgy' as in a diminutive of 'Adagio'! But I excitedly picked a yerba mate, genmai cha, and a few more teas to try.
#IcedTeaDay
Bloggers are hanging together today to share their favorite iced tea recipes using gourmet teas. Another shoutout of gratitude to Adagio Teas for generously supplying us with product for recipe development and for providing a prize package for one of our lucky readers!. We have an incredible giveaway at the end of the post! But first, the recipes...
- Carmel Corn Iced Tea from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Cold Brewed Yerba Mate from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Iced Redbush and Elderflower Lemonade Tea from Palatable Pastime
- Iced Tropical Rooibos from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Mojito Iced Tea from Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
- Strawberry Basil Darjeeling Iced Tea from Books n’ Cooks
- Strawberry Iced Tea from Feeding Big
- Vanilla Caramel Cream Tea Pops from Family Around the Table
Yerba Mate
Yerba mate is made from the leaves of the South American rainforest holly tree, Ilex guayusa. So, it's not technically a tea as 'teas' are made from the Camellia sinensis plant only. The yerba mate leaves naturally contain two dozen vitamins and minerals, over a dozen amino acids, and an abundance of antioxidants. In fact, in the 1960s, the plant was touted as "unequaled in nutritional value." It also contains the same stimulants as is found in tea, coffee, and chocolate. The caffeine content lies somewhere between that of green tea and coffee.
The Legendary Drink
I discovered many interesting legends about the drink, but my favorite is the Guarani legend. They say that the Goddesses of the Moon and the Cloud came to the Earth one day but they encounter a hostile Yaguareté (a jaguar). An old man saved them, and, in gratitude, the Goddesses gave the old man a new kind of plant, from which he could prepare a "drink of friendship."
For centuries, South America’s Aché Guayakí tribe have sipped yerba mate from a traditional mate gourd. The rainforest people claim that they derive invigoration, focus, and nourishment from yerba mate.
The Legendary Drink
I discovered many interesting legends about the drink, but my favorite is the Guarani legend. They say that the Goddesses of the Moon and the Cloud came to the Earth one day but they encounter a hostile Yaguareté (a jaguar). An old man saved them, and, in gratitude, the Goddesses gave the old man a new kind of plant, from which he could prepare a "drink of friendship."
For centuries, South America’s Aché Guayakí tribe have sipped yerba mate from a traditional mate gourd. The rainforest people claim that they derive invigoration, focus, and nourishment from yerba mate.
Cold Brew Yerba Mate
My latest obsession is cold brewed tea and coffee. It's one of those leave 'em preparations. I, also, find that tea and coffee are less bitter or tannic when prepared this way.
Ingredients makes approximately 4 cups
- clean glass jar or bottle with a lid, plus smaller jars for bottling
- mesh strainer
- 1 kaffir lime leaf
- 5 T yerba mate
- 4 C cool, filtered water
- 1" knob fresh ginger
- For serving: ice, more kaffir leaves for garnish
Procedure
Peel ginger and place the knob in the glass jar. Place the kaffir lime leaf in the jar, too. Add the yerba mate.
Pour in the water. Swirl to combine.
When you first add the water, it will look like this...
Place the jar in the refrigerator and leave overnight. After twelve hours, it looks like this...
Pour the yerba mate through the strainer. Then pour the strained mixture into a bottle.
To serve, pour cold brew yerba mate over ice.
Ganish with a kaffir leaf. We like ours unsweetened, but if you like yours sweet, add in a little bit of simple syrup.
The Sponsor & The Giveaway
Disclaimer: Thank you to our #IcedTeaDay Sponsor Adagio Tea for providing the prizes free of charge. This company also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #IcedTeaDay. All opinions are my own.
You may find Adagio Teas...
on the web
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on Twitter
on Instagram
Adagio Teas is giving away a gourmet teas gift pack (valued at $92)
A nice tall glass of this tea after working outside in the garden sounds so refreshing. Dagi is so adorable!
ReplyDeleteI love having all the herbal teas to make infusions with. I read years ago that Japanese wisdom says if you eat one hundred different foods each day, you would be assured of good health! And getting to a hundred is so difficult, but having a cup or glass with another few ingredients helps push the needle along.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the iced tea over hot tea preference camp so this Yerba mate has me written all over it!
ReplyDeleteLove that you cold brewed this! It sounds great and I can't wait to try it!
ReplyDelete