Today’s Spotlight is on Peach Melba.

Peach Melba is a dessert that was invented in the late 1800s by French chef Auguste Escoffier. It’s made with poached peaches, raspberry sauce, and vanilla ice cream. The dessert is named after Australian soprano Nellie Melba.

Melba sauce is made from pureed raspberries, red currant jelly, sugar, and cornstarch. It has a smooth, syrupy texture and intense berry flavor.

Melba sauce is typically served over Peach Melba, but it can also be used as a topping for:

• Pastries
• Breakfast foods, such as yogurt, oatmeal, and pancakes
• Mozzarella sticks

Here’s a recipe for Melba sauce:

• 10 ounces frozen raspberries
• 1⁄2 cup red currant jelly
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon lemon peel, finely grated
• 1 dash salt

Melba sauce was created by the famous French chef Auguste Escoffier for Dame Nellie Melba. It’s the topping for the dessert Peach Melba, which is made of poached peaches, vanilla ice cream, and Melba sauce.

 

History

It was invented in 1892 or 1893 by the French chef Auguste Escoffier at the Savoy Hotel, London, to honor the Australian soprano, Nellie Melba.

The story of Peach Melba is that Escoffier created the dessert in 1893 at the Savoy Hotel in London. The dessert was named after the Australian opera singer Nellie Melba, who was staying at the Savoy while performing at Covent Garden.

According to one story, the singer asked for peaches and ice cream so much that Escoffier created the dessert. Another story says that Escoffier later created a low-calorie version of the dessert for the singer, who had gained weight with age.

Escoffier moved to the Carlton Hotel in 1899, where he added a raspberry puree to the dessert. The dessert was officially referred to as Pêche Melba, or Peach Melba, in the famous soloist’s honor.

 

Here are some fun facts about Peach Melba:

• Peach Melba is one of the most popular desserts in the world.
• It’s been on hotel menus and at dinner parties for decades.
• In the 1950s, bottled Melba sauce and peach Melba flavored ice cream were available.
• There are recipes for peach Melba pies and cakes in cookbooks.
• Nellie Melba often ate at Escoffier’s restaurants while performing at Covent Garden.
• Escoffier claims to have first created Peach Melba while Nellie was a guest at the Savoy Hotel.
• Peach Melba is inspired by Helen “Nellie” Porter Mitchell, an Australian who became a world-famous opera singer.

 

Here is a Peach Melba Recipe for you to Try:

Ingredients:

• 1cup ripe red raspberries, plus more for garnish
• 2tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 6ripe, sweet freestone peaches
• A few drops of lemon juice
• 1quart vanilla ice cream

 

Instructions:

1. Make the raspberry sauce: Put 1 cup raspberries and 2 tablespoons sugar in a blender and whiz to liquify. Pour through a fine-meshed strainer and into a medium bowl. Keep cool.
2. Using a paring knife, peel and halve the peaches. Slice the halves into half-moon pieces about ⅜-inch thick. Transfer to a bowl. Add 2 teaspoons sugar and a few drops of lemon juice to taste. Toss to coat.
3. To serve, arrange peach slices in the bottom of 6 dessert bowls. Top each serving with a scoop or 2 of vanilla ice cream. Splash raspberry sauce over each portion. Garnish with a few raspberries if you wish.
4. Enjoy!

 

Here are some tips for making Peach Melba:

• Combine sugar, water, and vanilla bean in a pot over medium heat.
• Cut peaches in half and remove the pits.
• Combine raspberries and sugar in a blender until pureed.
• Serve ice cream with peach halves and raspberry syrup.

 

Consumption

On average, Peach Melba is consumed 1.1 times every year. It’s one of the most popular desserts in the world.  It’s been on hotel menus and at dinner parties for decades.  In the 1950s, bottled Melba sauce and peach Melba flavored ice cream were available.

 

Celebrating Peach Melba

National Peach Melba Day is on January 13th. The day honors the famous opera singer Nellie Melba, who was a guest at the Savoy Hotel while performing at Covent Garden. Escoffier invented the dessert in 1893 at the Savoy. The day is a great opportunity to try the refreshing dessert.

Let us know in the comments if you knew the back story on Peach Melba?