Peach Melba can imagine the sweetness of peaches when you hear the name, yes, it is indeed a dessert.
Peach melba is one of the most famous and popular desserts in the world.
The ingredients of this dessert are mainly cream, but it is also prepared in summer, and its cool feel is perfect for enjoying in summer.
A classic made with vanilla ice cream, sweet peaches and raspberry sauce, it's sweet, cool and appetizing, and has been loved for decades and has also graced the restaurant's menu.
But while many are familiar with this delicious dessert, few know the story behind the dish.
So what is the story of this dessert? And who invented it?
1. Opera singer Nellie Melba, the origin of the name Peach Melba
1. Nellie Melba, a singer first learned to whistle
Everything about Peach Melba began with the famous French chef Auguste Escoffier and his friendship with Australian opera singer Nellie Melba.
First, let's meet Nellie, who was born on May 19, 1861, in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, also known as Helen "Nellie" Porter Mitchell of Richmond, Victoria.
Nellie has been interested in music since she was a child, her family is also a family that loves music, and she is the eldest of several children in the family, she grew up in a musical atmosphere, and also laid the foundation for her future artistic development.
Her father, David Mitchell, was a successful building contractor and bricklayer, so her family was okay.
Her mother, Isabella, had a deep musical background, played several instruments, and served as Nellie's first music teacher.
Nellie is a tomboy personality who likes to learn to whistle from an early age.
In December 1869, at just eight years old, Nellie made her first public performance at Richmond City Hall.
As part of the grand opening of the town hall, she was the youngest to perform at a community concert attended by an audience of 700 people.
At that time, Nellie accompanied by the piano and sang three songs, which delighted the audience.
And local journalists enthusiastically covered her performance, calling her a "gem", "unparalleled" and "musical prodigy", allowing people to see Nellie's success in advance. Local journalists enthusiastically covered her performance, calling her a "jewel," "incomparable" and a "musical prodigy," giving an early glimpse of Nellis' success.
2. Nellie Melba's education and life have always been accompanied by pathos
Because of the large number of children in her family, Nellie received her early education at a boarding school in Richmond.
When she grew up a little more, she went to the Presbyterian Women's College, where she studied piano and vocal music, and also solidified the basic skills of music.
Nellie 's mother died around 1880 and Nellie returned from school to attend her mother's funeral, graduating and moving with her father to Queensland.
There she met her husband, Charles Nisbet Frederick Armstrong, and they later married in 1882 and had a son, George.
However, their early happy moments were short-lived, and Nellie became depressed by her husband's angry temper, combined with the harsh tropical climate and constant rainfall throughout the year. So in 1884, she left her husband for Melbourne with her son and some belongings, hoping to pursue a career in music.
Over the next few years, she and her husband reconnected only occasionally, and soon their relationship faded, and they eventually divorced in 1900.
3. Nellie Melba's singing career, only initiative has a story
Nellie's music career was good, and she was soon qualified to sing in Sydney in Melbourne because of her excellent singing ability, and she later rose to fame in the city as an opera soprano .
She then moved to London, where she made the connections necessary to pursue her career.
In 1886, she began performing in concerts organized by Wilhelm Ganz, a vocal professor at the Gilder Hall School of Music.
Despite some success in London, she felt her career wasn't moving fast enough.
Later, a patron from Melbourne wrote a letter of referral to the famous German mezzo-soprano Mathilde Marchesi.
Nellie then went to Paris to visit Madame Marchesi, who until Nellie, was satisfied with her and agreed to accept her as her vocal student, and the vocal teacher had a great influence in Nellie's career.
Mrs. Marchesi persuaded Nellie to adopt the stage name "Nellie Melba", which was taken from her hometown of Melbourne.
After years of study and countless hours of hard work, Nelly's opera debut was finally staged in Brussels in 1887, when she sang the role of Gilda in Verdi's Regoletto.
Over time, Nellie gained immense popularity, singing at major opera houses in Europe and the United States, most notably Covent Garden in London and the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
She was well known in high society circles and was asked to perform for important figures such as Tsar Alexander III, Emperor Franz Joseph and Queen Victoria. She was the equivalent of a big Edwardian celebrity, and when she appeared in public, the crowd scrambled to grab her attention.
Second, the legendary chef Escofi, the inventor of the peach melba
1. The acquaintance of friendship between the two
It was in London, while performing at Covent Garden, that Nellie met Escofi. The legendary French chef is known and respected worldwide for his innovative, imaginative dishes and "haute cuisine".
In the late 1800s, Escoffey teamed up with César Ritz (Ritz-Carlton fame) and became chef at the restaurant located in the famous Ritz Hotel, known locally.
His food was known for its sophistication and fancy, which we might describe today as "quintessentially French".
His 11 dishes are heavily stocked with sauces, often including smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and Wellington beef. These dishes became a sign of indulgence and wealth.
Many of his creations are named after the star patrons of his restaurant, and of course, this is where the name of the peach melba dessert comes from.
Nellie Melba often dined at the Savoy Hotel restaurant where Escoffey worked as chef while performing at Covent Garden in the late 1890s and early 1900s.
The two later met at a restaurant, and the two met at first sight and eventually became friends.
2. Inspiration for creation
Nellie later sent Escoffey tickets to her performance in Wagner's opera "Lohengrin" in the hope that he would come to see it, and Escoffey happily accepted.
The opera Lohengrin features a beautiful boat in the shape of a swan, and Nellie's singing performance deeply touched Chef Ecofi.
The next night, Escofi presented Nellie with a dessert, placing fresh peaches on vanilla ice cream and on an ice-carved swan.
He originally called the dish Pecheau Cygne, or "swan peach." A few years later, when Escoffey opened the Ritz-Carlton in London with César Ritz, he changed the dish slightly, adding toppings with sweetened raspberry puree. He renamed the dish Pêche Melba, or it could also be said that we know peach melba in the United States.
Melba Toast is also named after Lady Nellie, and that's another story.
In short, their friendship led to the invention of many exquisite dishes, and this friendship deserves praise.
Third, how to make peach melba still has to refer to the inventor's formula
1. The most professional formula, naturally additive-free
Now, let's share Escofi's original recipe for peach melba, which is simply broken down from his autobiography, My Memoirs. Escofiye vowed to stick to the simplicity of his original dishes; As Peach Melba grew in popularity, he mocked the countless variants that spread throughout the restaurant world. In his words: "Peach melba is a simple dish consisting of tender peaches, vanilla ice cream and sweet cranberry puree. Any change to this recipe will upset the delicate balance of its flavors. ”
Here is the original recipe for peach merba:
Merba cheese plain (serves 6)
Choose 6 tender and fully ripe peaches. For example, Montreuil peaches are perfect for this dessert. Blanch the peaches in boiling water for 2 seconds, immediately remove them with a colander and place in ice water for a few seconds.
Peel and place on a plate, sprinkle with a little sugar and refrigerate. Prepare a liter of very creamy vanilla ice cream and 250 grams of very fresh ripe raspberry puree, crushed through a fine sieve and mixed with 150 grams of powdered sugar. Then refrigerate.
How to serve: Fill the silver tone with vanilla ice cream. Place the peaches carefully over the ice cream and cover with the raspberry puree. Alternatively, during almond season, you can add a few fresh almonds on top, but never use dried almonds.
As Escofi promised, the recipe is very simple. When made in written form, the simple, natural taste is really delicious.
You can also try adding a step to the original recipe to allow the peaches to soak quickly in water and add a little lemon juice, which will help prevent the peeled peaches from turning brown and oxidizing when cooled.
It is worth mentioning that this dessert can only be best layered if it is placed in a glass.
2. National Peach Melba Day, are you moved?
Because the taste of peach merba is so delicious, there is also a national peach merba day in France to celebrate peach merba.
Whether it's an ambitious amateur chef or a keen to get professionals to do their errands, the day is all about singing praises and thanking Auguste Escoffier for bringing this celebration of all sweet things to our table.
For those who love cooking or entertainment, what could be better than inviting friends and family to a peach melba feast?
At the same time, local people gather people to the nearest restaurant or café, where peach melba is served and celebrated.
People will bring their own peach melba works to take photos and share their cooking experiences and stories online.
Many people didn't expect that this mouthwatering mountain of ice cream, peaches and colorful raspberry sauce would be so popular.
Bibliography:
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[2] Food culture in France[J]. Jade Flute. Shanghai Condiments, 2005(01)
[3] Sketch of the musical life of principal soprano Nellie Melba[J]. HE Jing. Singing Art, 2019(04)
[4] Eating in France[J]. ZHANG Yong. Food and Health, 2003(06)
[5] The legendary life of a culinary master[J]. LIANG Changshan. Human Resources, 2005(12)