For National Peach Melba Day, let’s whip up a batch of this delectable Victorian-era dessert, originally made from peaches, raspberries, and ice cream. (Hmmm… rather like a frozen Bellini.) The dish was created by French Chef Auguste Escoffier in 1893 at London’s Savoy Hotel and named after the opera singer Nellie Melba. (Yes, the Melba Toast was also named after her.)
Super Simple Peach Melba
Sauce: 4 c fresh (or frozen) raspberries
2 T powdered (confectioners’) sugar
1 T lemon juice
¼ c water
Peaches: 4 c water
2 c sugar (or monkfruit)
¼ c honey
1 tsp 100% pure vanilla extract (or paste or a split vanilla pod)
2 T lemon juice
8 peaches (2½ – 3 lbs), halved (pits removed, if easy)
1 pint (or more) vanilla or French vanilla ice cream
Fresh raspberries, for garnish
Make the sauce by simmering the raspberries, powdered sugar, lemon juice and water for 8-10 minutes. Then pour and press (with the back of a spoon) through a fine sieve into a medium bowl to remove all seeds. Set aside. Poach the peach halves by combining water, sugar, honey, vanilla, & lemon juice in a Dutch oven over med-low heat till sugar dissolves. Increase heat to med-high and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to med-low again and poach the peach halves for 2 min on each side. Use slotted spoon to turn them over and to transfer peach halves to an ice bath (large bowl half filled with ice and water) to stop the cooking before transferring to a plate. (Remove any remaining pits.) Use a sharp knife to peel off and discard the peach skins. Let the peaches cool completely and chill in the refrigerator. To serve, arrange 2 peach halves on each of 4 plates, along with a scoop (or more) of ice cream. Drizzle raspberry sauce over it all (or use it as a base). Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired. Makes 4 servings.
KISS Tips: This is also nice garnished with some coarsely chopped, roasted pistachio nuts. You can refrigerate the poached peach halves in the poaching liquid. Also, you can transfer the cooled poaching liquid to a freezer bag and freeze it till your next peach poaching project.
KISS Variations: Go for the Frozen Bellini Melba by omitting the water in the sauce, but adding ¼ – 1/3 c chilled Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) just before drizzling over the peaches and ice cream. Or opt for Peach Melba Parfaits, by simply dicing the peaches and layering in tall, clear glass flutes with ice cream, raspberries, and a drizzle of sauce… and perhaps some chopped almonds or pistachios.
The deep-fried cakes we know as doughnuts or donuts enjoy a long European history and an even longer Middle Eastern legacy. Arab cooks fried up small portions of dough and drenched them in surgary syrup. In Ancient Rome and Greece the fried pastry strips were coated with honey. Called oily cakes or fried cakes, they were introduced to the Western hemisphere by Dutch immigrants in New AmsterdamThe deep-fried cakes we know as donuts enjoy a long European history and an even longer Middle Eastern legacy. Arab cooks fried up small portions of dough and drenched them in surgary syrup. In Ancient Rome and Greece the fried pastry strips were coated with honey. Called oily cakes or fried cakes, they were introduced to the Western hemisphere by Dutch immigrants in New Amsterdam, now called Manhattan.
“An effective technique in developing a peaceful mind is the daily practice of silence. Begin to listen for the deeper sounds of harmony and beauty that are to be found in the essence of silence.”
For National Shortbread Day, I thought I toss in a twist on the standard, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie. With Potato Chip Cookies, you get all that sweet decadence with a balanced touch of saltiness tossed in and a touch of crispiness, too.
KISS Tips: Though it’s tempting to eat the cookies while still hot, let them cool completely for crispness. This recipe is easily doubled. These do not freeze well; store airtight at room temperature.
I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself.
I enjoy sharing recipes on my website and social media articles. In 2024, I am pleased to note that I shared some 4 dozen recipes with you. Some have been previously published in my various cookbooks; others are new. They ranged from appetizers and beverages to entrees and desserts. Here is the full list of my recipes shared via my website & social media in 2024.
1970s Cheese Fondue
“The biggest seller is cookbooks and the second is diet books – how not to eat what you’ve just learned how to cook.”
“Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves.”
“It is no use doing what you like; you have got to like what you do.”
“My hopes are not always realized, but I always hope.”
I salute this classic All-American favorite dessert. For the Christmas holidays, I like to toss in some cranberries or dried cranberries for color and zest… and a few raisins for sweetness. A lattice crust lets the fruity colors shine through. However, today I share my Grandmother Marjorie Rowe Gulumian’s recipe, which she simply dubbed Papa’s Apple Pie, as it was my Grampa Hrant’s favorite from the 1950s… and they always called him Papa. (It’s on page 177 of my 3-volume cookbook “
I merely suggest that during the busy holiday season, you can Super Simplify it by using rolled, refrigerated pastry, rather than making your own from scratch. However, if you love baking pies, whipping up pie crust is likely second nature to you. Try serving it warm with French vanilla ice cream on the side, along with some slices of sharp Cheddar cheese. Any way you make it, have a Happy Apple Pie Day!
Papa’s Apple Pie
“The second day of a diet is always easier than the first. By the second day, you’re off it.”
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”
