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Pavlova, Australia/New Zealand/Europe
You’ve only read the headline, and already it’s controversial. Pavlova, from three places? And how did Europe end up there? It’s well known that there’s beef over the origin of this meringue-and-cream dessert – though usually that’s just between Australia and New Zealand.
Kiwi or not Kiwi – that is the question. Credit: iStock
The Kiwis have a history of laying claim to Australian culinary inventions, having tried (and failed) to take credit for the flat white. But this goes deeper. Anyway, we’ll get to the origins of pavlova below. For now, let’s talk about the dish. Pavlova in its classic form is a baked meringue – crisp on the outside, marshmallow in the middle – which is covered in whipped cream and seasonal fruits. Pretty simple, but it wouldn’t be an Antipodean Christmas without one.
OK. Strap in. If there’s one thing agreed upon here, it’s that the name relates to the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured – conveniently – both Australia and New Zealand in 1926. As for the rest, there’s a lot to unpack. On this side of the ditch, a man named Herbert Sachse “invented” pavlova as we know it at Perth’s Esplanade Hotel in 1935. For the Kiwis, a recipe called pavlova appeared in Dairy Farmer’s Annual in 1929 – though it was actually a layered cake closer to the French “dacquoise”. The true creation of this dish of meringue with cream and fruit, however, stretches much further back than that, possibly even to 13th-century Syria. Undoubtedly, it was a staple in Germanic kitchens by the 18th century, and indeed the modern German dessert “schaum torte” is pavlova by any other name.
Indulge the Kiwis and sample their version of pavlova – you’ll find one of the best at Floriditas in Wellington (floriditas.co.nz).
Sadly, Perth’s Esplanade Hotel – now run by Rydges – no longer serves pavlova, so try it in Sydney at Peter Gilmore’s Bennelong restaurant (bennelong.com.au), and in Melbourne at Rockpool (rockpoolbarandgrill.com.au).
Though there’s much debate over the development of pavlova in both Australia and New Zealand, there’s an accepted difference between the two versions: Kiwis usually top theirs with kiwi fruit, while Australians prefer passionfruit.
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