Melba toast
Tostada Melba
- Date
- c. 1897 · confidence low
- Place
- London, England, United Kingdom
- Credited to
- Auguste Escoffier
- Field
- Life & health
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A thin, dry and crisp toast created by chef Auguste Escoffier for opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, to whom he also dedicated the peach Melba; served with soup, salad, melted cheese or pâté.
Wikidata dates the origin to 1890, but the extract dates the name to around 1897; the latter is used as more specific, with low confidence.
What it led to
- Popularization as a classic accompaniment to soups and pâtés in fine dining
- Industrial commercialization of packaged Melba toast
- Association of the name «Melba» with several Escoffier culinary creations