Learning About Pralines, A Little History

The praline is a confection.  There are Belgian pralines, which have a different texture and combination of flavors and are covered in chocolate, but I'm going to focus on the praline of New Orleans.  A basic New Orleans recipe includes light brown sugar, granulated sugar, light cream, pecans and butter.

It is no surprise the praline in the early centuries found its way from France to New Orleans.  (Remember the Louisiana Purchase 1803.  Also, New Orleans was founded in 1718 and is named after the French Duke of Orleans.) The praline is said to have been created in France in the early 1600s by a cook named Marshal du Plessis-Praslin.  Originally, the praline was made with almonds which were available in France.  When French settlers brought their praline recipes to New Orleans, pecan trees were plentiful, and so pecans were substituted for almonds. Both are nutritious nuts. Does this balance out the sugar?  My body says, yes.  And sugar cane also grew in abundance along the Mississippi River near New Orleans.

Throughout the history of New Orleans women sold pralines along the streets in the Old French Quarter.  "Even before the Civil War and Emancipation, pralines were an early entrepreneurial vehicle for free women of color in New Orleans."1   Two of the oldest praline stores in the French Quarter date back to the beginning of the 20th century.  One is Laura's Candies on Chartres Street opened in 1913 and the other is Evans Creole Candy Factory on Decatur Street opened in the year 1900.

The praline has been and continues to be an important candy, confection, and in my opinion, the New Orleans praline is so classic.


By Roberta Whitman Hoff


1 Article, New Orleans Pralines, Sweet Southern Confections by Ian McNulty at https//www.frenchquarter.com/new-orleans-pralines/

Other sources:  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praline
https://www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/multicultural/cultures/french/