Escoffier's Peach Melba

Succulent slices of peach laid out on a bed of virginsculptures, in significance to the swan boat featured
white vanilla ice cream and topped with deliciousin Melba's opera.
raspberry sauce! On a hot summer day there are notOf the countless Escoffier recipes that have over
many who can resist the sinister temptation that istime come to form the foundation for modern
the Peach Melba. Although it is one of the mostFrench cuisine, this relatively simple desert is the one
famous of Escoffier recipes, only a few can claim tohe is most remembered for. It was immortalized
be aware of the desert's interesting origins and ofwhen on the opening of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in
the fascinating tale associated with it.London he served the same recipe with the addition
The Peach Melba was in fact named after theof a raspberry sauce as a topping, rechristening it to
popular Australian opera singer Nellie Melba. In 1892"Peche Melba". So proud was Escoffier of his creation
93 in honor of the Soprano and her triumphantthat he insisted it be served only in a silver bowl- an
performance in Wagner's opera Lohengrin at Conventhonor that in my opinion was well deserved,
Garden, a dinner party was hosted by the Duke ofconsidering the sheer divinity of the dish.
Orleans at the Savoy Hotel, London. The renownedIn has been recorded that William II of Germany
French chef, Georges Auguste Escoffier, createdonce remarked to Escoffier, "I am the emperor of
especially for the occasion, a desert which he calledGermany, but you are the emperor of chefs." Well
the Pecheau Cygne translating into the "Peach Swan."then, I say that if Escoffier recipes were the
It consisted of poached and sliced peaches on a bedemperor's crown, Peach Melba must surely be its
of vanilla ice cream presented in swan shaped icecrowning jewel.