A little reason to celebrate
National Melba Toast Day
Food · March 23
A day for melba toast, the thin, dry, crisp toast that snaps cleanly and pairs well with soups, cheeses, dips and spreads.
National Melba Toast Day falls on Tuesday, March 23, 2027. That is 147 days away.
Melba toast is bread taken about as far toward crisp as bread can go. It is sliced very thin, then baked or toasted slowly until it is dry, pale gold and brittle enough to snap.
The classic way to make it at home starts with ordinary toast. You toast a slice, cut it horizontally through the soft middle to make two thinner sheets, then put those back under the heat, untoasted side up, until they curl a little at the edges. The result is lighter than a cracker and plainer than a crouton.
That plainness is the point. Melba toast has a mild, toasty flavor that stays out of the way, so it works as a base for pâté, soft cheese, smoked fish or a bowl of soup. It also keeps well in a tin, which is why it shows up on appetizer trays and beside salads in older restaurants.
The name comes from Nellie Melba, an opera singer whose name also belongs to peach Melba, the dessert. Few performers end up with both a pudding and a toast named after them.
If you make your own, watch the second toasting closely. Thin bread goes from golden to burnt in very little time.
Ways to celebrate
- Try making melba toast at home by splitting and retoasting regular toast.
- Serve melba toast with a soft cheese or a simple dip.
- Crumble a few pieces over soup instead of croutons.
- Look for a box at the grocery store and compare it to crackers.
- Share a small appetizer plate built around melba toast with friends.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Monday, March 23 |
| 2027 | Tuesday, March 23 |
| 2028 | Thursday, March 23 |
| 2029 | Friday, March 23 |
| 2030 | Saturday, March 23 |
Also on March 23
Categories: Food days