native plants to Bermuda.

The shrub, with large round leaves, grows wild along the Island's South Shore and produces fruit that grows in clusters like grapes.

Bay grapes ripen in November and December, making this the ideal time to whip-up a batch of delicious Bay Grape Jelly.

Here are few recipes to help you savour the unique taste of this local fruit.

BAY GRAPE JELLY 3 quarts bay grapes (1 ripe and 1 green) 3 pints water About 6 cups granulated sugar WASH grapes, place in a large pot with the water, cover and bring to the boil.

Uncover, reduce heat, cook at a slow rolling boil until the grapes are soft, mashing them with a potato masher as they soften. This will take about 10 minutes.

Next, prepare a jelly bag by taking 2 thicknesses of cheesecloth about a yard square, wetting it and spreading it over a large mixing bowl. Into this pour the contents of the cooking pot. Then knot the corners of the cheesecloth to make a bag and hang on a hook above the mixing bowl to allow the juice to drip through. This will take about one hour.

Now measure the amount of juice (you should have 6 cups) and return to cooking pot. Measure out an equal amount of sugar (6 cups in this case), place in a roasting pan, and warm in slow oven.

Bring juice to the boil, add the warmed sugar, stirring only until the sugar is dissolved. Boil hard, uncovered, for 25-36 minutes, until jelly stage is reached, skimming off the scum with a metal spoon from time to time. Use the sheet test -- i.e. dip up some boiling liquid on a spoon, holding it well above the pot, and allow it to run off the edge. When two drops form and then flow together to form a "sheet'' the jelly stage has been reached. A more accurate test is to use a candy thermometer. When it registers 222 degrees the jelly is done.

Remove immediately from the heat. Let hot juice stand in pot for a few minutes while you remove the last bit of scum. Ladle into hot sterilised jars, let stand until partially set, then seal with melted wax or cover. Makes 3 1 pints jelly.

Boil berries until tender. Put through colander, then strain through cheese cloth. Add a cup sugar to every cup juice. Juice of lemon. Stir while boiling.

BERMUDA BAY GRAPE JELLY Pick the grapes from the stems, wash and drain them. Mash them with a spoon.

Put them in the preserving kettle and cover.

Boil them ten minutes, squeeze out the juice, strain. Allow a pint of juice to a pound of sugar. Put the sugar and juice into the kettle, boil 20 minutes, skimming well.

Fill glasses while jelly is warm, then seal.