A Bumper Crop of Sea Grapes

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Coconuts
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Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2011 7:41 pm
Location: Southern NH, USA

A Bumper Crop of Sea Grapes

Post by Coconuts »

We were at Trunk Bay late yesterday, under overcast skies from the southern bands of Tropical Storm Nicole. It took me a little while to put two and two together, but it became clear that this was sea grape harvest time.

Here's a photo showing sea grapes (Coccoloba uvifera) in various stages of ripening:
A Bumper Crop
A Bumper Crop
When the grapes are fully ripe, they drop off their leader, and can be collected in abundance on the sand below. They have a beautiful purple tint, partially captured in the limited light below:
Sea Grapes up close
Sea Grapes up close
I suppose that the optimal strategy would be to spread a sheet and whack the branches above with a stick, but I settled for plucking choice ones from the sand and then blowing the sand off them. I managed to pick a handful in a minute; it was a good thing that there were so few people on the beach, as otherwise they would likely have all been unwittingly stepped on. Here's a photo of my bounty:
Treasure
Treasure
Sea grapes have a nice taste, sweet and grapey, although they also have a large pit that you spit out. Look out for ripe ones should you be down in late September through mid October.

Nearby trees ripen at different times. Here's a photo of one a few yards away, all of whose sea grapes had already ripened and fallen.
Grapes all gone
Grapes all gone
All the best,

Kevin
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kklay
Posts: 504
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:17 pm
Location: Lima, Ohio

Re: A Bumper Crop of Sea Grapes

Post by kklay »

I would love to taste one someday!
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liamsaunt
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Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:08 pm

Re: A Bumper Crop of Sea Grapes

Post by liamsaunt »

I had no idea that sea grapes were edible. Thanks for the tip!
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
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