Rule 1: Don’t say “Thank you,” Juan explains as he pours hot water into a hollowed out gourd. It’s filled to the brim with shredded grey-green leaves. A bent metal straw lounges on the lip. Welcome to the social ceremony of Yerba Mate tea.
Ecuador is famous for the coffee beans it exports and its national love of Nabob. Here’s how one “cafesito” converted a coffee snob to enjoy instant grinds.