When my grandmother died in 1973, I assumed her pralines had departed with her.

Oddly, no. Marcelle Jacquet’s staggeringly sumptuous New Orleans pralines have been resurrected in Carlsborg, Washington.

Weird, right?

A good New Orleans praline snaps when bent and crumbles under pressure. (It’s also pronounced prah leen, not pray leen, but we’ll let that go.) Properly preparing one requires both a well-calibrated candy thermometer and split-second timing.

To repeat: There is no such thing as a chewy praline.

You will agree after trying one prepared by Lisa Deese, who owns and runs the kitchen at The Old Post Office in Carlsborg.

Deese said she got into the business almost two years ago when long-time owners Jack and Evie Clapp decided to sell the business. “I like baking,” Deese said simply.

That’s what she does these days, making fruit and cream pies, cheesecakes, cinnamon rolls and fudge to go along with her pralines.

The Old Post Office is also a good place to enjoy a nice simple lunch, including sandwiches, chili and soup, all hand-prepared by Deese.

To go with that, try a milkshake or a fancy coffee. Deese also hand-makes the waffle cones she fills with scoops of Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream.

“It’s amazing,” she said.

While waiting, check out the gifts and specialty foods she keeps in inventory, including the renowned “Sequim Valley” syrups made by the Clapps. Their blackberry syrup recently was featured in Good Housekeeping.

The store, at 751 Carlsborg Road, is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.Tuesday-Saturday. Deese can be reached at 681-8014.

Reach Mark Couhig at mcouhig@sequimgazette.com.