In 1892, operatic soprano Nellie Melba was performing in Wagner's opera Lohengrin at Covent Garden. The Duke of Orléans gave a dinner party at the Savoy to celebrate her triumph. For the occasion, Escoffier presented Nellie with a dessert of fresh peaches served over vanilla ice cream in a silver dish perched atop an ice sculpture of a swan, which is featured in the opera. He originally called the dish Pêche au cygne, or “peach with a swan.”[2]
A few years later Escoffier created a new version of the dessert: when Escoffier and César Ritz opened the Ritz Carlton in London (after both were sacked from the Savoy for larceny, embezzlement, and fraud),[3] Escoffier changed the recipe slightly by adding a topping of sweetened raspberry purée and renamed the dish Pêche Melba.[2]
Variations
Other versions substitute pears, apricots, or strawberries instead of peaches or use raspberry sauce or melted redcurrant jelly instead of raspberry purée.[1] The original dessert used simple ingredients of "tender and very ripe peaches, vanilla ice cream, and a purée of sugared raspberry". Escoffier himself is quoted as saying, "Any variation on this recipe ruins the delicate balance of its taste."[2][4]
Pijama
Peach Melba is claimed to be the ancestor of the pijama, a dessert in Catalan cuisine. 7 Portes, a famous restaurant in Barcelona founded in 1836, is credited with its creation in 1951, when officers of the U.S. Sixth Fleet stationed in the nearby harbor would often dine at 7 Portes and order peach Melba for dessert. The name mutated to pijama ([pi.ˈʒa.mə], Catalan for pajamas) among the Catalan-speaking kitchen staff. From there the recipe, or the essence of it, spread throughout Catalonia.[5] Variations are countless, but ice cream, flan, and fruit in syrup (peach and/or pineapple) are its staple ingredients.[6]
Though regarded as an extravagant and somewhat outdated dish today, the pijama was considered part of the corpus of the Catalan cuisine and its recipe was included in the inventory published by the Foundation of the Catalan Institute of Cuisine and Gastronomical Culture.[6][7]
Cultural significance
In tribute to Escoffier an elaborate deconstruction of the peach Melba was served as the last dish at elBulli prior to its closure in 2012.[8][9]
^ abProsper Montagne, ed. (2001-10-02). "Melba". Larousse Gastronomique (Rev. Sub. ed.). New York City, New York: Clarkson Potter. p. 733. ISBN978-0609609712.
^ abcdAvey, Tori. "Opera, Escoffier, and Peaches: The Story Behind the Peach Melba", August 22, 2012, accessed 9 April 2015
^Levy, Paul (19 July 2018). "Ritzy Business". The New York Review. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
^"Peach Melba - The Auguste Escoffier Way" (PDF). Melba Magazine. Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra: 4. 2017.
^Morán, Iker (19 July 2016). "El restaurante que inventó el mítico postre 'Pijama'". 20 Minutos (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-09-11.
^ ab"Pijama". Catalunya Cuina (in Catalan). Retrieved 2019-09-11.
^Corpus del Patrimoni Culinari Català (in Catalan). Barcelona: La Magrana. 2009. p. 339. ISBN978-8482648156.
^"A última valsa do elBulli". Menu. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
^M. Pilar Opazo (2016-07-05). Appetite for Innovation: Creativity and Change at elBulli. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 17. ISBN978-0231176781.
May 07, 2023
peach, melba, melba, moore, album, album, french, pêche, melba, pronounced, pɛʃ, mɛlba, dessert, peaches, raspberry, sauce, with, vanilla, cream, invented, 1892, 1893, french, chef, auguste, escoffier, savoy, hotel, london, honour, australian, soprano, nellie,. For the Melba Moore album see Peach Melba album Peach Melba French peche Melba pronounced pɛʃ mɛlba is a dessert of peaches and raspberry sauce with vanilla ice cream It was invented in 1892 or 1893 by the French chef Auguste Escoffier at the Savoy Hotel London to honour the Australian soprano Nellie Melba 1 2 Peach MelbaTypeDessertCreated byAuguste EscoffierMain ingredientsPeaches raspberry sauce vanilla ice cream Media Peach Melba Contents 1 History 2 Variations 2 1 Pijama 3 Cultural significance 4 See also 5 ReferencesHistory EditIn 1892 operatic soprano Nellie Melba was performing in Wagner s opera Lohengrin at Covent Garden The Duke of Orleans gave a dinner party at the Savoy to celebrate her triumph For the occasion Escoffier presented Nellie with a dessert of fresh peaches served over vanilla ice cream in a silver dish perched atop an ice sculpture of a swan which is featured in the opera He originally called the dish Peche au cygne or peach with a swan 2 A few years later Escoffier created a new version of the dessert when Escoffier and Cesar Ritz opened the Ritz Carlton in London after both were sacked from the Savoy for larceny embezzlement and fraud 3 Escoffier changed the recipe slightly by adding a topping of sweetened raspberry puree and renamed the dish Peche Melba 2 Variations EditOther versions substitute pears apricots or strawberries instead of peaches or use raspberry sauce or melted redcurrant jelly instead of raspberry puree 1 The original dessert used simple ingredients of tender and very ripe peaches vanilla ice cream and a puree of sugared raspberry Escoffier himself is quoted as saying Any variation on this recipe ruins the delicate balance of its taste 2 4 Pijama Edit Peach Melba is claimed to be the ancestor of the pijama a dessert in Catalan cuisine 7 Portes a famous restaurant in Barcelona founded in 1836 is credited with its creation in 1951 when officers of the U S Sixth Fleet stationed in the nearby harbor would often dine at 7 Portes and order peach Melba for dessert The name mutated to pijama pi ˈʒa me Catalan for pajamas among the Catalan speaking kitchen staff From there the recipe or the essence of it spread throughout Catalonia 5 Variations are countless but ice cream flan and fruit in syrup peach and or pineapple are its staple ingredients 6 Though regarded as an extravagant and somewhat outdated dish today the pijama was considered part of the corpus of the Catalan cuisine and its recipe was included in the inventory published by the Foundation of the Catalan Institute of Cuisine and Gastronomical Culture 6 7 Cultural significance EditIn tribute to Escoffier an elaborate deconstruction of the peach Melba was served as the last dish at elBulli prior to its closure in 2012 8 9 See also EditList of foods named after people Melba toastReferences Edit a b Prosper Montagne ed 2001 10 02 Melba Larousse Gastronomique Rev Sub ed New York City New York Clarkson Potter p 733 ISBN 978 0609609712 a b c d Avey Tori Opera Escoffier and Peaches The Story Behind the Peach Melba August 22 2012 accessed 9 April 2015 Levy Paul 19 July 2018 Ritzy Business The New York Review Retrieved 3 October 2021 Peach Melba The Auguste Escoffier Way PDF Melba Magazine Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra 4 2017 Moran Iker 19 July 2016 El restaurante que invento el mitico postre Pijama 20 Minutos in Spanish Retrieved 2019 09 11 a b Pijama Catalunya Cuina in Catalan Retrieved 2019 09 11 Corpus del Patrimoni Culinari Catala in Catalan Barcelona La Magrana 2009 p 339 ISBN 978 8482648156 A ultima valsa do elBulli Menu 3 August 2011 Retrieved 2015 02 03 M Pilar Opazo 2016 07 05 Appetite for Innovation Creativity and Change at elBulli New York Columbia University Press p 17 ISBN 978 0231176781 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Peach Melba amp oldid 1151419724, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
