Sea grape trees give lovely grapes to make jelly with, but they have some other very clever uses. Our beloved family friend, Dr. Nune, showed us the most ingenious use of the sea grape leaf… plates and bowls! Her family used to make these in India when she was a child. We were so intrigued.
Dr. Nune picked a palm frond to use to sew the plate together.
After she picked the palm frond, she stripped all the leaves off it and used the center strip of the frond. When the leaves are stripped, it is a long, pliable stick. She used scissors to cut the long strip into short sticks.
Dr. Nune stripped the leaves off the frond by pulling them and cutting with scissors.
She used the center palm frond strip sticks to hold the seagrape leaves together.
This is one part of the plate sewn together. We tried staples too, but they didn't work as well.
She connected several leaves together with the palm frond sticks.
Finished seagrape plate.
The leaves are pliable when they’re freshly picked and green. They could be sewn together and left to dry but they won’t be pliable anymore and crack easily.
We also made bowls with the leaves. I imagine these would be a hit at any party and they’re easy to make.
Grayson making a bowl from a seagrape leaf.
A seagrape leaf bowl sewn with a palm frond center stick.
A seagrape leaf bowl filled with a bite of Tortuga Rum Cake.
Oh yeah, this is the life!
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