Savory Pralines?

[waltersg69]

In the 2000 Kochunst in Bildern many countries served savory "pralines" in their display. These were nothing like the Pralines you would find in Southern USA traditionally made with butter, brown sugar, cream and pecans. These were made with mostly vegetables if I remember correctly. In previous editions of Kochunst in Bildern they did not appear. What is the idea behind these, what are they?

[Suzanne]

Any chance you could post a link so we can see what you're talking about?

My first thought without seeing them is that maybe they're chips of dried vegetables? After all, these days time-honored names are used with reckless abandon, so a praline might not be a real praline (the candy you describe, or the cooked sugar/nut flavoring powder).

[waltersg69]

Thanks for reading Suzzane. I go on leave soon and when I get back I will look at the book again. I know that the "pralines" were substantial enough to be mentioned in the menu as opposed to just a garnish. Maybe I can elaborate more when I return. Every few years a new trend appears at the Olympics that I need to keep up on. The passing of "Nouvelle Cuisine" was the most recent observation, and the lessons we have learned from it (just like the 80's) -SSG Walters

[waltersg69]

Hi Suzzane. I made it back home without our plane being shot down. I spent 30 hours on planes coming home, that sucked. Of the 8 months in Iraq, the plane ride coming back was the worst part, go figure. I have the Kochunst in Bildern with me and I see 5 examples of the savory pralines.
The first is from Team Cuochi Regione Veneto (Italy), they offer a Fingerfood Platter showing a Tomato-basil galantine w/ saffron praline and onions. They received a Silver Medal.
The second is from Team Ireland. They offer a Festive Seafish platter containing Asparugus, salad and vegetable pralines. I can't see what it looks like because it is propping the Tuna up. They didn't recieve any medal.
The 3rd example is from Team Berlin, they offer a Vegetable Platter with, get this, lasagne nut praline. They recieved a Bronze Medal.
The 4th is from Team Meistervereinigung (GER), they have a Vegetarian Platter with a Sheeps cheese praline. They got a Gold Medal.
The 5th example is from the same team and they offer Three Fingerfoods (3 individual plates) showing Lobster praline w/ fennel and green asparagus. This display recieved a Gold Medal.
I would include a picture but I haven't figured out how to do that yet. This apparetly is a "trend" that would be worth looking into. My exposure to the restaurant scene is lmited because of my job, but I am a serious competitor and just trying to make sense of these matters in my quest for culinary perfection.
Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

[Suzanne]

First, WELCOME HOME!! All of us here are glad you made it safe and sound. (Probably not as glad as you and your family, of course, but . . . )

Looking in the new version of Larousse, I only find information on the sweet kind of praline, which, it turns out, was invented by a chef named Lassagne, in Montargis, France in the first quarter of the 17th century, and named for the Comte du Plessis-Praslin. So this:

The 3rd example is from Team Berlin, they offer a Vegetable Platter with, get this, lasagne nut praline. They recieved a Bronze Medal.

makes a bit more sense.

The older Larousse (from 1961) has even less information.

I'll look some more in a couple of days.

[shroomgirl]

Sarah Moulton made a savory praline last Feb for the Food and Wine Experience in St. Louis/ Arugula salad with aged gouda adn pecan/sugar/cayene/salt praline...coarse mustard dressing. I REALLY hate it when a term is basterdized. Lobster praline come on....that reminds of the confit boom a few years ago...cashew confit PLEEEASE>

[bouland]

I wonder if the use of the word praline is similar to the use of the French word croustillant, which is used to describe crispy items, often made as small disks, and are either sweet or savory.