by Annaleigh Novak
I'm a Kiwi living in the States and have just been
introduced to the pavlova debate. I always assumed it
was a Kiwi dessert. Now I understand that both NZ and
Australia lay claim to it. My understanding was that
it was invented in 1926 by a Wellington chef in honor
of the ballerina Pavlova who was touring NZ at the
time. Her dancing was light and airy just like the
dessert. Now all I needed to do was verify this.
Keith Money, a Pavlova biographer, wrote in his 1982
book Anna Pavlova: Her Life and Art that a chef at a
hotel in Wellington, New Zealand created the dish when
Pavlova visited there in 1926 on her world tour. What
the hotel chef invented was inspired by her tutu,
draped in green silk cabbage roses. The basic shape
of the tutu was provided by a meringue case, while the
froth of the skirt's net was suggested by whipped
cream. To achieve the effect of the green roses the
enterprising chef used slices of kiwifruit, then known
as Chinese gooseberries.
In New Zealand, a cookbook published in 1926 by E.
Futter titled Home Cookery for New Zealand contained a
recipe for "Meringue with Fruit Filling." Although the
name Pavlova is not used, the recipe is similar.
In New Zealand, the cookbook, "Davis Dainty Dishes" (sixth edition) published in 1927 by Davis Gelatine
New Zealand Ltd. This recipe for pavlova included
gelatin.
In New Zealand, a cookbook published in 1929 by E.
Futter titled Home Cookery for New Zealand contained a
recipe for “Meringue with Fruit Filling.” Although the
name Pavlova is not used, the recipe is similar.
Because of this recipe, New Zealanders claim to have
originated the recipe. They say that the Australians
used this recipe and called it Pavlova.
Now fast forward to 1935. According to chef Herbert
Sachse of the Hotel Esplanade in Perth, the dessert
was originally created as a tea dessert for the
Hotel’s afternoon teas. According to the Paxton family
legend, the Pavlova was named at a meeting at which
Sachse presented the now familiar saying, "It is as
light as Pavlova." It was then named Pavlova after the
great Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, who had been a
guest of the hotel during her 1929 tour of Australia.
In 1973, Herbert Sachse stated in a magazine interview
that he sought to improve the Meringue Cake recipe
that he found in the Women’s Mirror Magazine on April
2, 1935. The recipe was contributed by a New Zealand
resident.
So, it appears that the Pavlova has deep seated origins
in both countries. As a Kiwi I will continue to think
of it as a New Zealand dessert topped with kiwifruit
and strawberries. I understand that Aussies like
passionfruit on top. I just made a pav the other day
where I combined all three - it was delicious!
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