Back in the old country when I was going to school they used to give us a tall glass of Yerba Maté in the morning, it was mandatory. Talk about being wired all day. Nobody ever fell asleep in class. One of the main ingredients in Maté is mateine which is a caffeine alkaloid. I read somewhere that drinking maté the traditional way gives a dose equivalent to about 750mg of caffeine as opposed to a cup of coffee which contains about 50mg. Maté of course also contains a whole bunch of other stuff (click the link above). In the Northwest they mix in Coca leaves to the brew. Giving it a little extra added kick.
When I was in college I tried to introduce Americans to maté and would bring my boquilla and bombilla along. They were always curious to know if I was smoking something. It never caught on though, they couldn't get used to the bitter taste. It never occured to me to add sugar.
Today I drink Cruz Malta which is the easiest brand to find within walking distance. Hey maybe we'll start a fashion right here on FR :-).
Chinese tea is a sissy drink, real men drink maté without sugar ;-)
Patoruzú and his loyal steed Pampero brought to you by Frank M. Pohole
