All mate-d up.
I just drank my first cup of mate, an infusion of yerba mate leaves in hot water. But really, as my Argentinean friend and colleague Patricia says, mate is a ritual. And it's the national drink in Uruguay and Argentina.

This is the best thing: This morning, Patricia brought all the makings of mate plus the flakiest pastries ever. She went all the way to Perth Amboy for them, just for this morning break, and she brought along a collection of mate cups, some of which are made from hollowed-out gourds. Mate (I think I sipped five of them) definitely gives you energy, but not the shaky-achy-wacky energy I sometimes describe here after a little too much coffee.

It's pronounced "MAH-tay." More important, I want to go to Buenos Aires and sip some mate. Instead, I'll brush my teeth, do some much-needed research on a Russian pianist and try not to regret those pastries.