Franz Xaver Winterhalter's  Portrait of Empress Eugénie Surrounded by Her Maids of Honor.
 

Doña María Eugenia Ignacia Augustina de Palafox-Portocarrero de Guzmán y Kirkpatrick'(Eugénie Cipriano) was Louis Napoleon' s third choice for a wife. The future Napoleon III had already proposed to Princess Vasa of Sweden, but her father rejected the match and married her to Prince Albert of Saxony. Louis then approached Princess Adelaide, Queen Victoria's niece, whose father also rejected the proposal, probably because of Louis' reputation as a horndog. However, Louis Napoleon fell in love at first sight with Eugénie and further thoughts of a political marriage were abandoned.

Eugénie was sexually frigid, extraordinarily beautiful, and a tease, a combination  that was irresistible to many men. She had rejected numerous offers of marriage, including one from the French writer Stendahl who, at the height of his career, fell in love with Eugénie when she was only twelve. With her history of leaving a trail of broken hearts, Eugénie's engagement to Louis Napoleon resulted in the rumor mills of the palace working overtime  There were stories that she was a bastard, stories that were well enforced by her somewhat eccentric mother's flamboyant lifestyle. There were also rumors of Eugenie s attempted suicide after her sister's engagement to the only man Eugénie had ever loved. The suicide attempt was ingenious. Eugenie broke off the heads of phosphorous matches and dissolved then in the milk she drank. The wedding had to be postponed and this affair was the roost likely cause of Eugénie's frigidity.

These stories and Louis Napoleon's overwhelming sexual attraction for Eugénie created national scandals and stories of his passion for Eugénie were the fodder of countless jokes including one from the French writer Prosper Mérimée (whom, ironically, was Eugénie's mother's lover and best known for his novella Carmen, which became the basis of Bizet's opera Carmen) who commented that while Louis Napoleon had become Emperor by election, Eugénie has become Empress by erection.

Eugénie brought style and taste to the Second Empire and was a fashion icon, She introduced many fashion trends, and was especially noted for  featjered hats which she often changed several times a day,  Eugénie also introduced spicy Spanish tomato dishes into French cuisine. The great chef, Georges Escoffier, created several dishes in her honor, including Peche Eugénie (peaches poached in Marsala, filled with strawberries, and covered with a zabaglione sauce). So this is the perfect recipe to celebrate her birthday, and we suggest pairing it with The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) in which Emma de Caunes plays her during a fantasy sequence.

3 large fresh peaches
2 quarts water
4 TB fresh lemon juice
3 cups Marsala wine
1/2 cup sugar
2 TB lemon juice
 

1&1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 egg whites
6 egg yolks

1. Combine 2 quarts. of water and 2 TB lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Drop in peaches for 1 minute, turning them a few times with a spoon. Remove peaches with a slotted spoon. Allow to cool. Take a small knife and gently peal off skin.
2. Combine Marsala, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 TB lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil far 5 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Reduce to medium heat and poach peaches for 20 minutes, turning them often. Remove saucepan fran heat am allow peaches to cool in liquid. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours in liquid. When ready to use, cut peaches in half, removing stone.
3. Combine 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Increase to high heat and boil syrup until it registers 240º F on a candy thermometer (soft-ball stage). Remove pan from heat.
4. Beat egg whites until they are stiff. Pour cooled syrup in a slew stream over egg whites while continuing to beat them. Set aside.
5. Beat egg yolks and 3 TB of Marsala peach liquid in a bowl.  Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Beat egg yolks for 5 - 6 minutes or until mixture is pale and thickened. Remove bowl from pan and fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg white mixture. Refrigerate sauce for 2 hours.
6. Place a peach half in a chilled glass dessert dish. Fill cavity with sliced strawberries and spoon on zabaglione sauce. Serve.

Serves 6