Whe
re we live in South West France is very beautiful and is the inspiration for many things in our lives and especially our work. In the 19th century the property was a prosperous vineyard but over the years the land has been sold to neighbouring families and we now have 5 acres of fairly unruly ‘gardens’ and a little orchard. Although the house dates from the mid 1800’s the site itself dates from centuries earlier and according to a couple of local historians, apparently had some religious connections back in medieval times. There are a number of very large outbuildings one of which contains our boutique ‘Galerie de la Maison’, where we sell beautiful fabrics, interior accessories and lots of girlie things like bags and vintage jewellery. In another barn we have made our vintage tearoom. It is also from our home that we run our fairly new business producing beautiful greeting cards as The Art Card Press.
Our little family consists of three humans, myself, himself and my mother, two wonderful canine friends, two bewildering feline friends and various occasional visitors, the kestrels who nest in the pigeonnier, the barn owl who does the same in the barn, a couple of frogs in the pond and the deer who roam the surrounding woods and countryside.
The custo
mers who find their way to our boutique and tearoom are generally a delightful and varied bunch of people, often spanning the generations, who enjoy the peace and tranquility of our little world and enjoy browsing the goodies we present for their enjoyment. We encourage everyone who comes here to take their time and enjoy the atmosphere, it is something rare and beautiful and it’s good to share………………
View from a French Hillside 
Jane, your world is a fairy tale–and I’ve give my left lung to apparate and appear on your front door stoop–especially if you still have that gorgeous knocker on the door.
I’m sure there must be an enormous amount of work to keep your cosmos in balance, but it’s clear you have the talent and skills to make it thus.
I truly look forward to reading about, and especially SEEING your adventures as they unfold. Your photography is stunning and your prose, delightful.
I wish you great success with this beautiful blog. Congratulations on its launch!
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Shelley, Thankyou so very much for your lovely comments – means alot! Jane
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Jane, An incredibly artistic and beautiful blog you have. I could find my self very comfortable in your virtual gallery. Hope you don’t mind if I linger a bit. I appreciate, very much, your visit to Willy Nilly (my silly pet dragon) and I and inviting us to visit you as well.
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Dear Willy Nilly, How lovely to find your kind message on my blog this morning – I’m delighted that you have visited me and that your pet dragon came too. Thankyou for the ‘follow’ , I’m thrilled to have your support. as I was so enchanted by your own blog which I discovered last night by following a trail of threads through several other blogs. I will be visiting you often… ……. best wishes.Jane
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What a delightful description of your little piece of heaven! I absolutely love your blog and will tell my friends about it. I am so glad we have people like you in my beloved Sud Ouest 😉 Your photography is absolutely stunning as well… You truly live the kind of life That I like to promote in my little blog and I believe people like you are playing a very important role in this crazy world of ours: helping people dream…
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Dear French Heaven , I’m really touched by your lovely message! I think we are both trying to do the same thing in encouraging people to focus on the good,simple things in life and forget about the crazy stuff for a brief moment. I shall return your ‘follow’ – I don’t do this a s a matter of course but I figure I could use the cookery lessons!! Very best wishes – Jane
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Glad to have met you Jane, even if it’s virtual for now. I don’t (almost never) follow back, but here, I had to! Keep living the dream 🙂
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Thankyou French Heaven! I wonder whereabouts you are in South West France? It’s a huge country, I know only too well but if you are ever in the vicinity of Angoulême/Cognac, let me know – I’ll bake you one of my famous Victoria sponges and invite you to tea!
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How kind of you! I live in St Emilion, but my brother lives in Angeac Charentes. I met just take you up on that invitation someday. In the meantime, I am looking forward to reading more of your blog…
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It’s a future date French Heaven – Angeac is not far away …….!
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I’m Stéphane by the way. I guess I should have introduced myself… You know how rude us French are 😉
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And there was I taking you for an anglais all along!! Je suis très contente de faire votre conaissance Stéphane – à bientôt……..Jane
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Bonsoir de Toulouse! 🙂 glad to have come across your awesome blog… my very best and lots of inspiration, cheers! Mélanie
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Many thanks Melanie! I’m just having a look at you!! One of my favourite ever plays is Cyrano de Bergerac, but haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting his home.. I think I shall just have to follow you to get some insights! Bonsoir et bien à vous! Cheers Jane 🙂
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It looks magical 🙂
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Thankyou 🙂 I think you’re probably right, it is! 🙂
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I found your blog through Blogging 201 and am glad I did! Your blog is lovely, and just the look of those macaroons is enough to make me a new follower. :- Do feel warmly invited to visit mine. Maybe you’ll find it interesting enough to follow it back. 🙂
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Hello Angie K! Many thanks for the follow and for appreciating the macaroons! I shall pop over to your’s for a visit …… 🙂
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They are definitely on my mind now, just HAVE to find the recipe!
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try Larousse for a good French version ! 🙂 Just visited you and your tall slant on life. Sisters in law are both over 6 feet and Mr H at least a foot taller than I am so I am so tall people feature late in my life, forgive the pun 🙂 Liked your piece on Yuri Dombrovsky, sadly unknown to me. Have returned your follow, I’ll look out for you on Blogging 201 🙂
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Wow, a tall connection to my blog – that’s great! Thanks for the follow, look forward to reading your posts!
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🙂
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Great, thank you!
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How fascinating to read about your life. The pictures “show” your story. Thanks.
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Thankyou for your kind comments and for dropping in to visit!
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I love your photos. What camera do you may I ask? I really like your blog too!
http://petiteandprettyco.wordpress.com/
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Hello and thankyou for your visit and very nice comments! My camera is a Nikon D90.
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Visiting from blogging 201 — this is a stunning blog. Really appreciate your photography, typeset and layout.
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Thankyou jbw0133 for your kind comments and your visit!
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What a beautiful world . . . thanks for sharing with us! Your photography is stunning. 🙂
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Thankyou Laura! It is a wonderful place, very calm and peaceful it would be too quiet for many people I’m sure but perfect for me!
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Happy Birthday Jane….
I hope the sun shines, the wine flows and that the cheese is good and smelly.
xx
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Thankyou so much Stuart! 🙂 Confess it seems strange to celebrate a birthday without Mum but it is a truly beautiful day here and I shall certainly make the most of it – and the nice bottle of St Emillion awaiting our dinner 🙂
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You live in a beautiful looking place
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It certainly is very lovely here but central heating would be good – roll on Spring! 🙂 Thanks again for your visit.
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Make sure you send some sunshine here to London 😉
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I love the way you have described where you live. It sounds so wonderful and love the pictures of your pets. If I do come to France would surely love to visit you. I am charmed that you have a fabric shop , your home is very beautiful 🙂
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Thankyou Chan! It is a bezautiful place, very quiet and tranquil. But it’s also good to have the visitors to my shop, I also sell vintage jewellery and scarves and perfume, lots of lovely girlie things!
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Thank you Jane for sharing a little time with us in your tranquil setting, I think you realise it made a big difference to our day, donc merci encore! B&M.
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A pleasure Bill and thanks for taking the time to visit this other little corner of my world!
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What a wonderful place to live. Your photos and writing give a lovely sense of place 🙂
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Why thank you most kindly Robin! Much appreciated 🙂
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Enjoying the lovely pictures you have posted! Great Blog!
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Why Thank You kindly HumptyDumpty ! Much appreciated 🙂
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Similarly pleased to find your blog and many thanks for the follow. I look forward to comparing notes on golf 🙂
All the best
Robin
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You bet! 🙂
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Love your photos, and blog. And your theme…very crisp.
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Many thanks indeed baddish, Really appreciate that ! 🙂
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Hi Jane, I have been nominated in a challenge to post my three favorite quotes, one each for three consecutive days.
With each post I have to nominate three bloggers for the challenge. I’m sorry, but it is not required to accept. 🙂
If you accept, you have to recognize the blogger who nominated you. 🙂
I have nominated you as I love your blog. I hope you don’t mind and hope (if accepted) you have fun with it.
http://bclphoto.net/2015/06/16/quotes-1-confucius/
Cosme.
bCL Photography
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HI Cosme , I just sat down to my computer and found your link and your lovely comments about my blog and thank you, I will accept the challenge, it will be fun to do! I might have to start tomorrow though!
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Hi, I know this is going to be vague, but I would love to talk to you about showcasing you and your work. Would you mind sending me an email leanne@leannecole.com.au
please feel free to delete this comment.
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I’d be thrilled Leanne! I shall e-mail you and thank you !
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Stunning work. Found you via Leanne’s introduction. Now following. My experience outside of Paris was a week in the Loire Valley, traveling the countryside.
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Thankyou for your kind words and the follow facet fully! The Loire valley is very beautiful and I suppose it sums up much of French history and culture !
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From the moment in stepped in your blog, I fell in love.
I love the layout of it, your photography, the words you’re using – such an overall warm feeling.
I’m looking forward to see more from you 🙂
Greetings from Romania! 🙂
Klaudia
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What a wonderful comment Klaudia! Thank you so much, I’m sending you lots of good wishes from France 🙂
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Your blog is so beautiful. It reminds me of my days in France. I definitely have to visit your place next time. C’est tres belle. Courage! 🙂
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Many thanks to you angpemay for your very kind comments and thank you for following 🙂
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I love photography too. Check out my recent photo collage – https://someofmywords.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/pasadena-chalk-festival-2015/
Hope you enjoy it 🙂
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Thanks I’ll have a look!
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Jane, I found my way over from Kaz’s most recent blog post and I am just delighted with all I have seen here. What a wonderful photographic eye you have. I can’t wait to spend some real time browsing some more. I have happily clicked the “follow” button :).
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Thank you so much Stacy! I’m delighted that you enjoy my photos and I’ll look forward to welcoming you back, thanks for the ‘click’!
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My absolute pleasure, Jane!
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Lovely work. Look forward to reading your posts on a regular basis. Thanks to Leanne for introducing your blog to me.
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Hello Alan! Many thanks for your kind comments and for following, Leanne is extremely generous in her efforts to promote other photographers!
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So happy to have been introduced to your blog by Leanne Cole. Looking forward to exploring it and following you in the coming months. Your photos are simply sublime 🙂
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Andrew I’m really touched by your kind comments, Thank you! Leanne has done an amazing job and I’m delighted that you’ve found me via her blog, I shall hope to have lots of interesting images to share over the coming weeks, months… 🙂
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Absolutely love your work Jane! There is a mellow, warm, nostalgic feel to it. I have to say it makes me homesick as I was born in France and spent my adolescence there, before migrating to Australia! I am so glad Leanne Cole introduced you, allowing me to reconnect with beautiful SW France. Chris
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Thankyou so much Chris! I’m so glad you like my images, I suppose you’re right about the nostalgic bit, I do love vintage things and there is still a wonderful old-fashioned side to parts of life here! Whereabouts in France were you born?
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Hi Jane – i wad born in Rouen, Normandie, and my family spent summers in the Pyrenees. I go back every 2 years and spend my time between Normandie and the SW since my sister is based in Toulouse.
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We’re in the Charente near Angoulême, each region is so very different, my father-in-law used to live near the Pyrenees, don’t know Normandy apart from travelling through – it is a big country, though rather different from Australia I imagine!
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Hi Jane- Thanks again for following my photography blog, Jane’s Lens. I look forward to continued sharing– we Janes need to stick together! Happy shooting.
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Quite so Jane! 🙂
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You really do live in such a beautiful location, Jane. Your animal and bird family sounds really wonderful.
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Yes I must say we do live in a beautiful part of the world – Mr H is from Rhodesia originally – he loves the space here and the sunshine!
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Your images have left me stunned with their magically and totally charming quality. Looking forward to seeing future posts.
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Really touched by your kind comments Tails Around the Ranch – thank you!
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Thanks for finding me so I could find you! France is my favourite country to visit so you will see me around a lot (virtually that is) haha
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Thanks for your virtual visit Saxon! One of my favourite things about being on WordPress is the virtual travelling it allows me to do and with some excellent guides to point out the best things!
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As I mentioned I love France. I wonder if you would peruse this post sometime on the Hypermarket versus the Marche. I find the markets dreamy but as a ‘local’ where do you shop more? http://thirtysummers.com/2015/09/29/checking-the-markets-frances-farmers-markets-in-pictures/
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Hi Saxon, how strange you should have written that so recently! Just left you a comment on the post, it’s an interesting question and I’m actually doing a project around that very theme – we’ll have more discussions about it I’m sure! Best wishes Jane
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… to be continued… 🙂
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Sorry my comment ion your post page is a bit long – but it is an interesting subject and one close to my heart!
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No such thing as a comment that is too long. It shows thought & consideration 🙂
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🙂
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If I ever make my way to the South of France a stop to see your wonderful home and tea room will have to be on the list! You must be surrounded by inspiration all the time. Best wishes in all of your endeavors!!
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Thank you so much and yes I have to say there is never any shortage of inspiration here and you would be most welcome to call for tea and scones if you find your way up the Hillside !
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I’m following your fairytale!
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Thank you B(ananartista – delighted to have you along 🙂
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Warm wishes for the holiday season Jane and a very Happy New Year…Andrew
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And to you too Andrew! 🙂
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If I am ever your way, I will have to come and visit your corner of paradise Jane. I adore the landscape shot at the top of this page. You have yourself a new follower too 🙂
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Thank you so much Miles! A cup of tea and a scone always awaits the intrepid visitor! 🙂
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PS Thank you Miles for the follow – there are not many people or street style photos on my blog although portraiture is a passion for me and I do have some on my other photo site http://www.janemorley.photography
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Hi, I am new to your blog and I love what I see. I will visit often!
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Thank you Lori! The most fascinating thing about blogging I think is glimpsing someone else’s world for a few minutes, so I’m delighted your enjoyed your glimpse of the hillside here and look forward to seeing you again soon!
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Your photographs are truly lovely! I find your blog visually inspirational. Thank you!
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Thanks to you Sojourner for such a lovely comment – very much appreciated! 🙂
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This is a lovely blog. great photography and amazing pictures. This prompted me to follow your blog! 🙂
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Thank you very much arv! – delighted you like it and thank you for following! 🙂
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I’ve been back to blogging for a couple of weeks and was so happy to find this new WordPress theme. I then noticed that you’ve decided to use the same one and boy does it fit your wonderful photography! I hope you are well. I will now continue reading and marvel at your incredible images. You are so so talented. Very inspiring indeed (in many many ways). I hope that 2016 is the year we finally get to meet :0)
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Hello Stephane – nice to hear from you! I’ve not been so active on WordPress either of late and almost decided to stop but found this theme and it is a good one isn’t it! Must pop over to yours for a look! Hope you are well and your new projects thriving. Is the weather as bad in Saint Emillion as it is here ? Looking forward to seeing the sun ! Yes maybe this will be the year to meeting person! Off to visit you! 🙂 🙂
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We will meet this year. I know it! Maybe I’ll come visit you and I can do a video about you for my Youtube channel
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A bientôt Stéphane! 🙂
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LOVE the website too by the way!
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🙂 🙂
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Jane you live and breathe in a beautiful place…so magical and simple.
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Forgive my late reply and thanks PJK – really kind of you to drop by and comment and I’m so glad you enjoyed your visit !
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Hi Jane! Here is that recipe for puffy apple pancakes! Hope you like it!
Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons salted butter
12 ounces tart apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Apple Brandy (YUM!)
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
Pecans for topping
Powdered sugar for topping
To Prepare:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 13×9 inch glass baking dish. Whisk milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg to taste in large bowl until well blended. Add flour and whisk until batter is smooth. In a sauté pan melt butter over medium heat, add a little apple brandy and apple slices. Cook until apples soften and butter is bubbling and begins to brown a little – 5 to 10 minutes depending on your stove. Once that is cooked, but not mushy, pour apple slices into an even layer in 13×9 inch greased glass baking dish. Pour batter over the even layer of apples and sprinkle with brown sugar and top with pecans. Bake for 20 minutes until puffed and golden. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.
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Thank you so much Paula for taking the time to do this – really sweet of you – recipe looks great I’ll let you know how I get on! 🙂
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