This food holiday commemorates a classic dessert invented by French chef Auguste Escoffier at the Savoy Hotel in the 1890s. The sweet melange of poached peaches, raspberry sauce and ice cream was first prepared in honor of Australian soprano Nellie Melba, who was performing Wagner’s “Lohengrin” opera at Covent Garden. Escoffier presented the dessert on a swan ice sculpture topped with spun sugar.