The French nobleman du Plessis-Praslin was known as a notorious ladies man, who asked his chef to come up with an irresistible treat he could present to the women he courted. Originally made with almonds he would put the sweet sugary nuts into little parcels marked with his name, so people began to call the sweets Pralines after him. It is believed that pralines were brought over from France by the Ursuline nuns, who came to New Orleans in 1727. Among those tutored by the nuns was a young creole slave girl by the name of Catherine Lenore. She eventually became known as a master Praline chef (later called Pralineres). Catherine was purchased by a young slave owner who settled her into plantation life in the town of Abbeville located in Vermilion Parish about a 150 miles west of New Orlean