Peach Melba

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Peach Melba and Nellie...

Peach Melba
is an extremely simple
little dessert
but quite yummy

However it is the origins
of that dessert
that are fascinating


Dame Nellie Melba
1861-1931
was an opera soprano singer
from Australia
and one of the most famous singers
of the late Victorian era
and the twentieth century

Nellie was born Helen Porter Mitchell
but took the stage name Nellie Melba,
a contraction of her hometown
of Melbourne

She was the first Australian
to receive recognition
as a classical vocalist

Despite an angelic voice
she was a demanding,
temperamental
diva personna

Dame Nellie Melba
made so many final concerts in Australia
that a phrase was coined
in the Australian vernacular,
"more farewells than Nellie Melba"










She travelled to Europe in 1886
to launch her career
and whilst singing Wagner's Lohengrin
at Covent Garden
a dessert was invented in her honour
by French chef Auguste Escoffier,
of the Savoy Hotel London,
for a dinner party
given by the Duke of Orleans


The original Peach Melba
was presented
on an ice sculpture of a swan
from the opera,
and featured peaches
topped with spun sugar



A second version
was later devised
by Escoffier,

very simply the dessert
layers peach halves
on vanilla icecream
with has a drizzling
of raspberry puree

The Melba sauce of raspberries
can be substituted
with melted red currant jelly

The dish above
is a little more interesting
although equally as simple:

Grilled Ginger Peach Melba

2 cups raspberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon Ginger, Ground
4 ripe peaches, halved and pitted

DIRECTIONS

1. Gently toss raspberries with granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla in small bowl. Set aside until ready to serve. Mix butter, brown sugar, orange juice, ginger and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in large bowl. Add peach halves; toss gently to coat well.

2. Fold the edges of a sheet of heavy duty foil to form a shallow baking pan.
Place on grill over medium heat. Arrange peaches, cut-side down, on foil.
Cover with second sheet of foil. Grill peaches about 6 to 8 minutes or until browned and caramelized around edges, turning once.

3. To serve, place 2 peach halves on each dessert plate. Top each with 1/3 cup raspberries. Serve immediately.

Delicious




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