History Of Melba Toast

Some foods are named after famous people and Melba Toast is one of them. It’s named after arguably the greatest singer of the Victorian era (the period of Queen Victoria’s reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901), Dame Nellie Melba, the stage name of Australian opera singer Helen Porter Mitchell. She was a major diva during her time and attracted a lot of mockery from her friends and colleagues for her overly eccentric personality. She toured the world to sing, made several recordings and was featured heavily on the radio when nobody had a radio to listen. Melba Toast significantly rose to prominence after 1897, as the singer was very ill and was in need of extensive rest, hence in an effort to cure her ailment this became a staple of her diet. The toast was created for her by chef and fan Auguste Escoffier, who then went onto creating the Peach Melba as a dessert for her. The hotel proprietor César Ritz supposedly named it in a conversation with Escoffier. It is believed that her demise later led to the toast being named after her.
Melba Toast looks very similar to the Rusk we have back in India. However, the difference is that it’s thinly sliced and often served with soup, salad or is topped with either melted cheese instead of being dunked in tea. This toast is made by slightly toasting slices of bread under a grill, on both sides. The resulting toast is then sliced laterally. The thin slices are then grilled with the untoasted sides facing the heat which makes the toast half of its thickness. It is also available commercially and was at one time given to infants who were teething as a hard food substance on which to chew.
Here’s how you can make them at home:
Lightly toast some shop bought, sliced bread.
Cut crusts off, then carefully slice bread in half horizontally, to divide slice into 2 thin slices.
Gently rub soft, untoasted side across the board, to rub off soft centre and to make the toast as thin as possible.
Cut each piece of toast in half diagonally. Put triangles on a baking sheet, untoasted side up.
Grill under a medium heat, in batches, if necessary, until golden. They should curl as they toast. Leave it to cool then serve.
Store it in an airtight container and use within two days. Go ahead and enjoy these crisp & thinly sliced savory or sweet delicacies, as a healthy snacks or as a food that can act as a supplemental remedy for your ailments!
Read more at https://dipfoods.com/blog/history-of-melba-toast/