Pêche Melba

The Pêche Melba is a classic French dessert, invented in London to honour an Australian. It combines two favourite summer fruits: peaches and raspberry sauce accompanying vanilla ice cream.

The Pêche Melba was originally created in 1892 or 1893 by Auguste Escoffier at the Savoy Hotel, London. He had heard Nellie Melba, a famous opera singer from Australia, perform at Covent Garden one night and was inspired to create a dessert just for her. Rumour had it she loved ice cream, but did not dare eat it often, believing it would affect her vocal cords. Escoffier created a sauce of raspberries, redcurrant jelly, sugar and cornstarch. In Pêche Melba, the ice cream, being only one element in a whole, would not be as cold and thus not harm her vocal cords. He served it at a dinner she was hosting, and a classic was born.

See also

• Melba toast