January 13th is National Peach Melba Day #PeachMelbaDay which I will pass on because I don’t like Peaches and neither does Charlie. David loves Peaches just like his dad. I was thinking we could celebrate National Peach Melba Day by having Charlie help me create this dessert for David and his dad. If you would like to make a Peach Melba as well I’ve included a recipe below you can use.
Today is the day to enjoy a sweet treat because it is National Peach Melba Day made (and named) in honor of the famous Opera singer Nellie Melba, and National Peach Melba Day invites everyone to try out this amazingly refreshing dessert.
While the original recipe for a Peach Melba is a dish made from Peaches, Raspberry Sauce, and Vanilla Ice Cream, multiple recipes change up the ingredients to suit various tastes and create slightly different flavor combinations.
Did you know the Peach Melba has graced restaurant menus for decades and Peach Melba is one of the most favored desserts globally. This creamy-and-cool dish was inspired by Helen “Nellie” Porter Mitchell, an Australian who went on to become a world-famous Opera singer.
While learning under German Mezzo-Soprano Mathilde Marchesi, Mitchell was persuaded to take on a stage name — she chose ‘Nellie Melba’, with Melba derived from her hometown of Melbourne. Isn’t that a cool reason to take on that name?
It was in London that she became acquainted with the famous French Chef Auguste Escoffier. He was, in turn, known for his imaginative dishes and luxurious meals. Many of his dishes were named after the star patrons at his restaurants.
Melba often ate at Escoffier’s restaurants when she performed at Covent Garden. In 1892 (or 1893, depending on the source), Melba was to perform in Wagner’s Opera “Lohengrin” at Covent Garden. She reportedly sent Escoffier tickets to this performance, which featured a boat in the shape of a Swan.
The next evening, Escoffier presented a dessert of fresh Peaches served on a bed of Vanilla Ice Cream and Raspberry Sauce and displayed it on an Ice sculpture of a Swan. Another version of events indicates this creation appeared at the Duke of Orléan’s dinner party, which he planned to celebrate Melba’s triumphant performance. Either way, this dish was the birth of our famous dessert a Peach Melba.
Around eight years later, Escoffier revisited this dessert at the opening of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in London, where he was head Chef. He created a new version of the Peach Melba, omitting the Ice Sculpture and topping the Peaches with Raspberry Purée. He also renamed the dish Pêche Melba or Peach Melba. At present, we might know everything about this dessert, but we are still researching the origins of National Peach Melba Day.
How To Celebrate National Peach Melba Day
- Escoffier actually scoffed at some variations of the original recipe, believing that they ruined the delicate balance of its taste. Find the very first Peach Melba recipe and try your hand at making it.
- Get creative with your Peach Melba if you’ve mastered the original then you can now create variations with endless combinations to find the balance you like best by mixing Ice Cream flavors, adding Fruits, or even switch out the Sauce. Remember to go wild with the combinations!
- Invite your friends and family over for a Peach Melba-themed party at home or a restaurant that serves this dish. Put on Melba’s music to set the vibe, and savor a peach Melba or two.
Facts About National Peach Melba Day
- Melba hesitated to try this dessert because she was worried the Ice Cream in the Peach Melba would injure her vocal cords; but the Raspberry Sauce warmed the cold ingredients, however, allowing her to eat the dish without risking her voice.
- As a tribute to Escoffier, a deconstructed Peach Melba was served as the last dish at the famous Spanish restaurant, El Bulli, right before it closed in 2012.
- Escoffier also created a special dish which was a thin, low-calorie Toast for Melba to help her reduce weight.
- Amos Burton from “The Expanse” nicknames another character ‘Peaches’ as a play on that person’s alias, Melba Koh.
- Did you know Peaches need to be put in boiling Water, then plunged immediately into Ice Water, drained, and then the skin comes off and is added to the dessert?
Why People Love National Peach Melba Day
- I wanted to let you know there are so many variations to the dessert Peach Melba that there is recipe for everyone’s palates.
- If you ask a lot of people they would say a dessert featuring Peaches is a giant win in there book. Plus, Peach Melba has the Peach flavor shining through in various ways.
- Through the dessert Peach Melba we are re-introduced to Dame Nellie Melba and people love hearing about this feted Australian Opera singer who took the Victorian world (and the early 20th Century) by storm. Celebrating with a Peach Melba is a great way to remember her.
Recipe for Peach Melba
Ingredients
1 cup vanilla ice cream
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 medium peach, peeled and halved
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
Directions
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat raspberry jam for 20 seconds; stir until smooth. Place peach halves cut side up in dessert dishes. Top with ice cream; drizzle with jam.
- In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Reduce heat to low. Place peach halves cut side up in pan; cook for 5-8 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat. Cool peaches in syrup for 30 minutes.
- Remove peaches with a slotted spoon and place cut side down in a shallow dish. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, 2-4 hours.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David
