melba sauce: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal / Culinary
Quick answer
What does “melba sauce” mean?
A sweet fruit sauce, classically made from puréed raspberries and sometimes redcurrants, often used as a dessert topping.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sweet fruit sauce, classically made from puréed raspberries and sometimes redcurrants, often used as a dessert topping.
Any fruit-based dessert sauce, typically red and berry-flavoured, that is served over ice cream, puddings, or the dessert Peach Melba from which it takes its name.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both recognise it as a dessert sauce, but it may appear slightly more frequently on British dessert menus due to the dish's European origins.
Connotations
Connotes classic or retro dining, upscale restaurants, and traditional desserts in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both dialects, confined to specific culinary contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “melba sauce” in a Sentence
[Dish] is served with melba sauce.[Dish] is drizzled in melba sauce.A spoonful of melba sauce complements the [dessert].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “melba sauce” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The chef will melba the peaches, serving them with sauce and ice cream. (Rare, non-standard culinary shorthand)
adjective
British English
- A melba-sauce drizzle finished the plate.
American English
- She ordered the melba sauce sundae.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Rarely used outside historical or culinary studies texts.
Everyday
Low usage; recognised mainly by those with an interest in cooking or classic desserts.
Technical
Standard term in professional cookery and menu descriptions.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “melba sauce”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “melba sauce”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “melba sauce”
- Misspelling as 'melba source'.
- Using it to refer to a savoury sauce.
- Pronouncing 'melba' with a long 'e' (/miːl.bə/) instead of the short 'e' (/mɛl.bə/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Classically, yes, it is a raspberry sauce. However, modern variations might use other red berries like strawberries or a mixture, but these are not the authentic version.
It is not a common mass-market product. You are more likely to find it in specialist food stores or as 'raspberry dessert sauce'. It is often made fresh in restaurants.
They are very similar. 'Coulis' is a more general French term for a thick puréed sauce. 'Melba sauce' specifically refers to the raspberry coulis used in the Peach Melba dessert, so it is a type of coulis with a specific culinary heritage.
It is named after Dame Nellie Melba, the famous Australian opera singer. The dessert 'Peach Melba' and its accompanying sauce were created in her honour by the French chef Auguste Escoffier in the late 19th century.
A sweet fruit sauce, classically made from puréed raspberries and sometimes redcurrants, often used as a dessert topping.
Melba sauce is usually formal / culinary in register.
Melba sauce: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmel.bə ˌsɔːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɛl.bə ˌsɑːs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the opera singer Dame Nellie MELBA, whom the dessert was created for. MELBA SAUCE is the red, berry part of her famous dessert.
Conceptual Metaphor
SAUCE IS A COVERING (it dresses or cloaks the dessert). SAUCE IS AN ACCOMPANIMENT (it follows and complements the main component).
Practice
Quiz
In which context are you most likely to encounter 'melba sauce'?