Description
This erva is produced near Palmera das Missioes, the former Brasilian capital of mate, and dried in a unique way invented by Mr. Tolloti, a musician of Italian origin living in Boi Preto (Black Ox). Tolloti’s creation, nicknamed the Forno (oven) – hence the name Tolloti’s Forno – is a cross between a barbaqua and carijo.
Additional images and information about Tolatti can be found in our Mate do Brasileiro’s report.
Although he uses common woods to dry mate from leaves collected in the region, Tolloti’s special sapeco and drying techniques and his native Palmeira hands, impregnate this erva with a rich smokey character, a silky cut and is one of the finest tasting mates that we have had.
Palmeira was renowned for having the best mate in the Pampas before the Brasilian Mate industry in the 1980’s started to import cheaper mate saplings from Argentina, which affected the taste of the native erva. Adhering to tradition, Mr. Tolloti also pounds the erva on a wooden “Soque” Pounding Mill connected on a water wheel turned by the river. He is very particular about the sapeco of his erva and only him and his father are allowed to handle the mate leaves with fire. Tolloti belongs to a handful of mate harvesters who are still production mate in resistance according to tradition. Tolloti’s Erva is a finely ground, rich, unique and complex drink for one who enjoys a smoked treat.
The Family Toloti prides itself in producing Erva in a traditional way in the region of Palmeira
The entire process is made without electricity, this waterwheel provides power for the mill to crush the leaves into a very fine powder.
This antique mill has been pounding mate since the times when Palmeira was the Mate capital of the world, today very few such traditional mills still exist.
Toloti’s secret is his oven. This impregnates his mate with a special smokey flavour.
Unlike our other artisanal mates that are vacuum packed, Toloti’s mate comes in the original paper packaging that they sell mate on the local market with. The mate thus ages slightly with the passing months.
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