Mail-order pralines

January 8, 2013 10:23 AM

Can anyone recommend a mail-order source for New Orleans pralines?

I would like to find a source that's not ruinously expensive nor gross-tasting, in order to send as a gift. I am many, many miles from the city, so I can't just pick up a box myself. :7) And while I find a lot of online stores (whether in NOLA or elsewhere), I am hopeful that someone has a firsthand experience that they can share.

Thank you for any recommendations!

posted by wenestvedt to Food & Drink (13 answers total)

I like Southern Candymakers.
posted by 2bucksplus at 10:25 AM on January 8, 2013 [2 favorites]

I don't know what ridiculously expensive is, but a NOLA classic, Praline Connection, has mail order.
posted by bensherman at 10:38 AM on January 8, 2013

I like Southern Candymakers best also, but I am of the opinion that any mail order praline is in fact going to be ruinously expensive. A pound mail order is going to be at least $30 depending on which shipping option you select.
posted by CheeseLouise at 10:48 AM on January 8, 2013

I don't have firsthand experience with King's Freelines, but I know that Robert King is a good guy and the pralines come with an interesting story - King is one of the Angola Three.
posted by Frowner at 10:55 AM on January 8, 2013

Not New Orleans, but these are the ones I grew up on. Still best as day-of fresh, but I have first hand experience eating them a week on down the line. They hold up. My mom is a teacher and gets boxes from her students as gifts all the time.

I've never been on the receiving end of shipping them, but I imagine they're just fine.
posted by phunniemee at 11:00 AM on January 8, 2013

I third Southern Candymakers--I've had excellent experiences with their mail order and I always stop in when I'm in town. They hold up pretty well, but are best freshly made.
posted by crush-onastick at 11:19 AM on January 8, 2013

I have had great experiences with Aunt Sally's, who are located in the French Quarter next to Cafe Du Monde. They arrive fresh and tasty and fast.
posted by mccn at 11:46 AM on January 8, 2013 [3 favorites]

Oh man someone sent us Southern Candymakers pralines and they were divine. It was a mixed box that also had "tortues" (turtles) which I liked even better.
posted by radioamy at 11:47 AM on January 8, 2013

I've had plenty of shipped Southern Candymakers pralines over the years. Definitely tasty. No idea how much they cost, though. (Probably not ruinous? My aunt sends them for Christmas every year, and she's not a billionaire or anything.)
posted by Sara C. at 12:11 PM on January 8, 2013 [1 favorite]

Seconding Aunt Sally's. They are excellent and nicely packaged.
posted by Miko at 12:43 PM on January 8, 2013

I've never had pralines from New Orleans but I have had Pralines by Leon. (The sales dept @ works gets some every year - they never make it out of the sales dept)
posted by jaimystery at 5:04 PM on January 8, 2013

I grew up on Priesters Pecans in Alabama and I LOVE them.
posted by naoko at 5:35 PM on January 8, 2013

I don't have firsthand experience with King's Freelines, but I know that Robert King is a good guy and the pralines come with an interesting story - King is one of the Angola Three.

Just want to interject here that I placed an order with King's Freelines about a year ago, never received it, and they did not respond to several e-mails I sent about it. So buyer beware.
posted by WorkingMyWayHome at 10:10 PM on January 8, 2013