On this day in 1901 Dame Nellie Melba revealed the secret of her famous toast. The toast had been invented along with the dessert Peach Melba in her honour by the famous French chef, Escoffier.

Melba was an Australian whose voice was universally acclaimed as one of the most beautiful there has ever been. She acquired a huge following, especially at Covent Garden. She adopted the name Melba (a shortened version of Melbourne, her home town). Some critics felt that her repertoire was too small and limited and criticised her willingness to sing secondary roles and mere folk songs at times. On the other hand, she called their attitude ‘artistic snobbery’.

Here is the lovely folk song Comin though the Rye by Robert Burns, that she recorded so beautifully:

Gin a body meet a body
Comin through the rye
Gin a body kiss a body
Need a body cry?
Chorus:
Ilka lassie has her laddie
Nane, they say, hae I
Yet aa the lads they smile at me
When comin through the rye.
Gin a body meet a body
Comin through the toon,
Gin a body greet a body
Need a body froon?
Amang the train there is a swain
I dearly loe masel
But what’s his name an where’s his hame
I dinna care to tell
Gin a body meet a body
Comin frae the well
Gin a body kiss a body
Need a body tell?
Ilka lassie has her laddie
Nane, they say, hae I
Yet aa the lads they smile at me
When comin through the rye.

Today I ask for the courage to address and to change where necessary, the things that I need to address today.