Yerba Mate gourds made of a natural squash are a popular gourd choice.

• Most appreciated mate cup by seasoned yerba mate drinkers
• Better than any other type of yerba mate gourd at subduing the natural bitterness of yerba mate
• Forms a "memory" of what the yerba mate drinker has added to the mate cup.  This adds an ever improving unique and pleasant flavor to the yerba mate tea.  For example, if you like to flavor your yerba mate tea with honey, then over time the squash yerba mate gourd will give back a continuously sweeter flavor.
• Available in large yerba mate gourd sizes, well suited to drink yerba mate Terere style, which uses cold juice or water for a refreshing warm weather yerba mate drink.
• The larger yerba mate gourds are great for sharing with more people, including the popular Large Handcarved Mate Cup with Metal Rim: Peaks and Valleys, and Large Handcarved Mate Cup with Metal Rim: Waving Band.
• It is best to cure mate gourds made of natural squash before their first use.  It is not very complicated to cure mate cups.  It only needs to be done once, and it helps you build a relationship with your mate cup.

Compare the different mate gourd choices in our buying guide, or jump directly to our natural wood mate gourds, or our other specialty yerba mate gourds.

Remember, the mate cup's unique shape compresses the yerba mate tea in order to create suction for nutrient extraction, and preserves the high level of nutrients. Using these specially shaped mate gourds is the secret to maximizing the benefits of yerba mate. 

 More gourd varieties coming in June 2013!