I have discovered the single most amazing thing known to man. No, it's not World Peace, the lost city of Atlantis, or a heretofore unknown novel by Jane Austen. It's Pralines or, as I like to call them, The Most Incredible Food Ever Created Ever.
It all started two weekends ago while I was at a conference in Shreveport, LA. It was my first time in Louisiana but I was already predisposed to like it, since it was about 70 degrees there and 14 degrees in New York. Little did I know that it would be the site of my most significant discovery.
My first night there, we had a very nice reception. Many of the writers had cooked and baked and there was a lot of wonderful food. I met some fascinating people and had my first taste of Jambalaya.
I wandered around the room meeting and greeting as I was supposed to do until someone asked me if I'd had any dessert. I hadn't yet and asked for recommendations. And then it happened.
Someone said, “Have you ever had a praline?” and I said, “No, what's a praline?” And someone handed me one. I took my first bite and I was lost. It was like a drug. Or like reading an incredible romance novel while taking a lovely warm bath in a gorgeous hotel room in Paris but all rolled into one tasty brown kind of funny looking little patty.
I have to be honest. I don't really remember much of the rest of the night. All I remember is that I woke up the next morning with the crumbs of 7 pralines and a terrible stomach ache. So I'd like to take this moment to apologize to anyone I drooled on or ignored in my quest for pralines.
That is the story of my trip to the Shreveport conference. So what if I lost $3 dollars on the slot machines at the riverboat casino--I'd found a little slice of heaven.
Now, I'm a terrible cook and very rarely do I ever have the urge to try and bake anything. Honestly, it's really safer for everyone that way. There was this one time when I tried to bake a two layer birthday cake FROM A MIX that I still managed to mess up. Don't ask me how, those cake mixes might be fool proof but they are definitely not Tessa proof. But I have to say, I'm sorely tempted to try and make some pralines. I'll keep you updated...
(Side note: The Nola Stars are an incredible bunch of writers. Thank you so much for having me!)
It all started two weekends ago while I was at a conference in Shreveport, LA. It was my first time in Louisiana but I was already predisposed to like it, since it was about 70 degrees there and 14 degrees in New York. Little did I know that it would be the site of my most significant discovery.
My first night there, we had a very nice reception. Many of the writers had cooked and baked and there was a lot of wonderful food. I met some fascinating people and had my first taste of Jambalaya.
I wandered around the room meeting and greeting as I was supposed to do until someone asked me if I'd had any dessert. I hadn't yet and asked for recommendations. And then it happened.
Someone said, “Have you ever had a praline?” and I said, “No, what's a praline?” And someone handed me one. I took my first bite and I was lost. It was like a drug. Or like reading an incredible romance novel while taking a lovely warm bath in a gorgeous hotel room in Paris but all rolled into one tasty brown kind of funny looking little patty.
I have to be honest. I don't really remember much of the rest of the night. All I remember is that I woke up the next morning with the crumbs of 7 pralines and a terrible stomach ache. So I'd like to take this moment to apologize to anyone I drooled on or ignored in my quest for pralines.
That is the story of my trip to the Shreveport conference. So what if I lost $3 dollars on the slot machines at the riverboat casino--I'd found a little slice of heaven.
Now, I'm a terrible cook and very rarely do I ever have the urge to try and bake anything. Honestly, it's really safer for everyone that way. There was this one time when I tried to bake a two layer birthday cake FROM A MIX that I still managed to mess up. Don't ask me how, those cake mixes might be fool proof but they are definitely not Tessa proof. But I have to say, I'm sorely tempted to try and make some pralines. I'll keep you updated...
(Side note: The Nola Stars are an incredible bunch of writers. Thank you so much for having me!)
8 Comments:
Please excuses my cultural ignorance but what does a praline taste like? (They sound wonderful.) Almond? Caramel? Vanilla? Mint? Chocolate?
And on a slightly related note, the new interview with Avon author, Cait London is up today at Poe's Deadly Daughters. We don't have any pralines, but Cait has some great writing advice...and if anyone has pralines to share I've never met a sweet I didn't like.
11:04 AM
Helping with praline taste here -- a praline is made from sugar, butter, pecans, maybe a touch of vanilla, and sometimes condensed milk. And that's what it tastes like.
12:48 AM
Tessa...
This made me remember that Pralines and Cream was my favorite Baskin & Robbins ice cream flavor for about a decade! Yummy topic!
Sophia
1:17 AM
Thanks Elle. You're making my mouth water.
7:25 AM
Oh, I didn't realize it was a southern thing. I've always preferred pralines in my icecream. So delicious. And they are easy to make. You can't mess those up, Tessa.
11:32 AM
Oh goodness pralines are heavenly! =)
1:45 PM
I've never had the chance to have a praline!! :( Can u just lemme know where i can get them in India??
9:53 AM
Oh.. Im on a diet but this topic made me want to run in the kitchen and get some pralines.
Thanks for sharing
1:12 PM
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