Plates that roll up and go anywhere
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These silicone plates from Japanese designer Nao Tamura caught my eye recently. I’ve long admired her work and the poetic sensibility she brings to designing practical items.
Silicone has crept into the kitchen in the form of the flexible baking molds we’re all familiar with. But here, the designer uses the material to make decorative plates in the shape of leaves.
She writes, “like a real leaf, each serving dish is flexible and multipurpose. It rolls up for storage using the benefits of silicone to ensure its use in an oven or microwave, and is able to withstand repeated dishwasher cleaning. Each leaf enjoys its own shape; stackable in its open state, and in multiples, creating a sculptural display of serving artware.” Well, you get the idea.
Picture a salad of various greens arranged on the graceful small plates (sold as a set of four for $68) or a vegetarian lasagna served on the medium plates (four for $90). They’re unbreakable, heat- and cold-resistant, stackable and dishwasher safe. Perfect for the Hollywood Bowl too.
Oh, and there’s also a large plate or platter for $65, which may be the best looking of the bunch.
Available from Unica Home in Las Vegas; (888) 898-6422, Unicahome.com. Seasons plate, set of four — small $68 or medium $90. Single large leaf plate, $65. Available for shipment early March.
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-- S. Irene Virbila