Calabash for Mate Tea is used exclusively to make this tea from Brazil and drunk throughout South America. Traditionally it is made from gourd, dried and hollowed out-that is why the size and color may vary-your calabash is unique.
Our calabashes:
- Hollowed out pumpkin with aluminum border, marbled
- Emptied pumpkin with red leatherette and linen decoration, with aluminum border
Maintenance
Since calabash is composed of a dried gourd, a special cleaning and maintenance method must be used:
- Get rid of the yerba in your pumpkin. Ideally, use our bombilla spoon to scrape the yerba.
- Now, you will still have some yerba in your gourd. Just rinse the gourd under warm water. While you are doing this, take the bombilla back and gently scrape along the walls of your gourd.
- When finished, double-check to make sure there are no leaves in your pumpkin. Take a paper towel and place it inside, pressing it against the bottom and walls of your pumpkin with the bombilla. This will absorb excess water.
- This step is not necessary but it helps. To shorten the drying process a bit more, point a hair dryer at idle toward the inside of the pumpkin, rotating it as you dry. Make sure it is on a cooler setting to avoid damaging your gourd. Again, this is optional.
- Store your gourd in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Placing the gourd on its side allows air and light to flow through, which further prevents mold growth.
- If you have done everything correctly, just wait until it is 100% dry and it will be ready for use again!
Drying time varies among pumpkins.