There has never been a better time to support small local businesses, which is why we are delighted to tell you about our client Royal Praline Company. Royal Praline was established in 2007, and its cute shop is located on historic Royal Street. And while the shop is currently closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, you can still order their gourmet treats online. And right now, they are even offering free delivery!
Of course the New Orleans-based shop sells pralines; it also offers sweet glazed pecans, Roman Candy, Mississippi Mud, coffee, spices, mixes, hot sauces, and even cookbooks. Consider these items for yourself, or spread some joy and send them as gifts.
Right now small businesses are struggling. Many won’t survive this pandemic. According to New Orleans Citybusiness,
Currently, 92% of small businesses are negatively impacted by the outbreak, up from 76% reporting negative impacts 10 days earlier, a news release said.
While Royal Praline continues to operate (and its remote IT is functioning just fine, shameless plug), the lack of tourists and locals shopping in their store has really put a dent in their income. If we want our local shops to stay alive and thrive, we need to support them during this difficult time. For those of you not local to the area, you may not know what a praline is; locals may not know the history. According to Royal Praline Company,
Pralines (pronounces praw-leens) are a delicious confectionary treat usually made from butter, brown sugar, and pecans. New Orleans style pralines originated in 18th century France, thanks to the sweet-tooth of Marshall and Diplomat Cesar du Plessis-Praslin (pronounced prah-lin). The sugar coated almond confection made in his honor found its way to New Orleans when a local businessman returned from Paris and presented the candies to his head chef.
Inspired by the exotic treats, she replaced the almonds with locally grown pecans and blended them into a brown sugar and butter concoction. She cooked this slowly in copper kettles and ladled gooey spoonfuls of the delectable treat to cool. This tradition continued into modern times, and we now call the treats pralines.
