This food market is named after one of the city’s most famous chefs, and it’s the perfect place to go to try all of Lyon’s local foods.
As I walked through the market, I noticed how many different versions of pink praline there were. I saw bags filled with candy, cakes, cookies, breads, and tarts! I ended up trying it baked into a sweet bread roll, which is called brioche aux pralines. When I took my first bite, I could taste the sweet and crunchy praline pieces in the warm dough, and it was so delicious! After trying my first pink praline, I finally understand why they are such an important part of Lyon’s food culture.
Lyon’s praline rose (pink praline), is actually pretty easy to make. The main ingredients used are roasted almonds, sugar, water, and red food coloring. First, sugar syrup is made by melting the sugar, water, and food coloring on the stove. Then, the almonds get mixed in, and everything is spread on a tray to dry. Finally, once the sugar syrup is hard, the pink praline is broken into little pieces. People in Lyon like to eat the treat on its own as a dessert or snack, but it can also be used in baking. In addition to the pink praline bread that I ate, one of the most famous desserts is the tarte à la praliné (praline tart), which is similar to pecan pie.
Lyon’s famous pink praline was invented near the city hundreds of years ago, way back in the 1600s. At first, it was the normal brown color of caramel. Then, in the 1800s, the red food coloring was added to make the candy look more unique.
