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When I turned into Jeanne and Tom Ceyler’s driveway, to say I was shocked would be an understatement. I had no idea I would be entering a paradise of edible landscaping! Numerous fruit trees, succulent herbs, vegetable gardens, and gorgeous flowers surrounded her charming home. In my head I ran through the many fruits, vegetables and herbs she incorporates into her jams, desserts, and breads… and they were all here just waiting for her to use, right outside her door!

I have a deep appreciation for well-maintained gardens, and I understand the love and commitment it takes to keep them bearing heavily and looking beautiful. I also realize just how long it takes to pick enough berries to make a pie, that’s always devoured far too quickly! Just walking up to her front door, I wished time would allow me to spend a lovely afternoon wandering the meandering paths and beds that entirely encompass her acre slice of heaven.

We’ve been surprised by Jeanne many times – by her widespread assortment of jams and her unusual flavors (I had never heard of corn cob jelly!)… Or when we tried her Double Corn Jalapeno bread, and I gave the kids a small piece. They had to try it, but I honestly thought it was an “adult” bread and they’d complain as they normally do when things have “spice”. So yes I was shocked when our 4 year-old kept asking for more and asked why we never made it!

It was her Cottage Dill Bread she was baking while we talked, and I laughed when I saw her well-worn and clearly loved recipe, conveniently displayed on a wooden holder made by her husband. You can get such an intimate, honest idea about a person and their preferences by looking through their oft-used recipe books and finding their splattered, dog-eared, yellowed pages with all the necessary notations!

We’ve known Jeanne and Tom for several years, since our first year at the Piqua Farmer’s Market when we set up next to them during our initial venture into the world of Miami County’s wonderful farmer’s markets.