Argentine craftsman safeguards tea tradition

Answering the call to preserve nation's yerba mate ritual

BUENOS AIRES - Argentina's bitter-tasting yerba mate tea is definitely an acquired taste, as evident from the fact that few outside the country drink it, or even know about it.

But there is one aspect of the mate tea tradition that people of all backgrounds immediately delight in: The beautifully crafted cups made of calabash gourds, called mates, and silver straws, called bombillas, which comprise a typical tea set.