I became hooked on yerba mate at last year’s Fremont Solstice Parade. Guayaki, the pre-eminent yerba mate company, had a booth set up with a couple of hippies manning it to expound upon the benefits of the South American tealike drink: the antioxidants, the natural high, the clarity of mind, etc. They hooked me, and now, after one cup of coffee in the mornings, I stick to yerba through the rest of the day. But unlike coffee, you don’t find yerba mate on every corner. Tully’s decision to carry it, however, has helped fill its gaping absence in our city. Plus, the fact that Tully’s is also a retailer for Guayaki products is a huge bonus whenever I run out of the tea bags.—Brian J. Barr www.guayaki.com.