grape leaves ready for picking

Time to pick Grape Leaves!
 

Grape Leaves grow wild all over Upstate New York, we dug up a grape vine growing alongside the road and planted it in our garden. Right now, the leaves are tender. Delicious wrapped around tabuli and perfect for stuffed grape leaves. Pick as much as possible and if not using right away, freeze in a plastic bag to use later. Put the bags in a aluminum pan to create a sturdy base, the leaves can crush easily when frozen. Do not wash the leaves. When using frozen leaves, just drop the leaves into cold water and start using right away.

When picking, pinch the stem as close to the leaf as possible without tearing the leaf.