Want to give someone a South American gift but aren't quite sure what their tastes are? We've got the perfect solution!

Gift certificates for Mate Shop products are now available for purchase from our online store.

We're going to be at the "Patio Latino" event in Christchurch on Saturday 6th February. We'll be offering samples of mate cocido, and will also have some yerba and mate kits for sale.

Patio Latino will be held at Cathedral Square from 10am - 4pm. There will be plenty of live music, cooking and dance workshops, along with a latino arts and crafts market and South American food.

If you're in Christchurch then come along and visit us!

Hello everyone - we hope that you had a great Christmas and happy new year!

We're pleased to announce the availability of several new products from January, like flavoured yerbas, mate kits and mate thermoses:

Yerba Herbal Mix

Yerba Compuesta con Hierbas is a special mix of yerba and herbs such as incayuyo, boldo, tilo and pennyroyal which are known for their therapeutic, cleansing and stomach-soothing properties.

Flavoured Yerbas

For something different, try our new yerba with orange or yerba with lemon - yerba mate mixed with a small amount of natural citrus flavouring. We love mixing 50% flavoured yerba with 50% yerba canarias for a really special flavour.

Thermos for Mate

One problem with drinking mate in New Zealand is that thermoses sold in this country are designed for holding hot tea or coffee to take with you to the beach or camping - most of them have a cup at the top rather than a spout.

Now we have the solution! Our new Amanda Mate Thermos has a special spout at the top which is ideal for carefully pouring hot water into a mate gourd.

We hope you enjoy these new products!

:) MateShop.co.nz

Here's a great idea for a rainy sunday afternoon - something that can get the whole family involved.

Cook up and enjoy panqueques de dulce de leche from right at home. Let us share this simple recipe with you.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups of whole milk
• 1 cup of flour
• a splash of vanilla essence
  
• dulce de leche for filling
• butter to grease the frying pan

Preparing the mixture

1. Put the the eggs and milk in a large bowl and beat them together
2. Slowly sift in the flour while continuing to stir the mixture - try to avoid lumps of flour!
3. Splash in the vanilla and give the mixture one last stir
4. Place the bowl in the fridge and allow it to cool for 15 minutes or so

Making pancakes

1. Heat the frying pan to medium-low heat and grease it with butter. (It' s best to use a small, round, non-stick frying pan, or if you're lucky enough to own a panquequera that's even better!)
2. Pour in enough of the pancake mixture to cover the base of the pan and allow it to cook just long enough for it to brown slightly (a little trial and error is required here...)
3. Flip the pancake over to allow the other side to cook (yes, really flip it if you're a pro - else a spatula may come in handy)
4. Remove the pancake from the heat and set it aside to cool briefly, meanwhile repeat steps 1-5 to cook some more

The yummy part!

1. Place a pancake on your plate and lather on a spoonful (or two) of dulce de leche
2. Roll it up carefully, or fold it in half
3. Drip on a little more dulce de leche, and voila! Ricos panqueques de dulce de leche
4. Sink your teeth in and enjoy!

TIP: you can fix in a little milk or cornflour to get the dulce de leche to that perfect consistency.

MateShop has dulce de leche and other sweet treats for sale here.

You've been asking for them, and now we have them -

Delicious alfajores for sale at Mate Shop.

Starting from mid-July 2009 we have two types of alfajor biscuits available: chocolate coated and sugar dusted - both with a creamy dulce de leche interior.

For the alfajor fanatic - we also have gift boxes and bulk purchases available.

Enjoy!