Melba toast is a dry, crisp and thinly sliced toast, often served with soup and salad or topped with either melted cheese or pâté. It is named after Dame Nellie Melba, the stage name of Australian opera singer Helen Porter Mitchell. Its name is thought to date from 1897, when the singer was very ill and it became a staple of her diet. The toast ... Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melba_toast
(from the article `Melba, Dame Nellie`) ...was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1918. In 1925 she published Melodies and Memories. She returned in 1926 to Australia, where she became ... Found on http://www.britannica.com/eb/a-z/m/67