The Pavlova
The Ballerina that inspired a desert that has become a
National Dish in both Australia and New Zealand.
Most Australians know Pavlova as the sweet dessert made with a base of meringue crust, topped with whipped cream and fresh fruits. The dessert was actually named after Anna Pavlova, a famous Russian ballerina.
Anna Pavlova was born in 1881 in Russia and entered the Imperial Ballet School at ten. She worked very hard there and on graduation began to perform at the Maryinsky Theatre, debuting on September 19, 1899. In 1914 she was traveling through Germany on her way to England when war broke out. She was not able to return to Russia and soon made London her new home. For the rest of her life she toured the world with her own ballet company, including a tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1926 and Australia again in 1929. Anna Pavlova was considered the greatest ballerina of her time.
Both Australia and New Zealand claim to have invented the Pavlova and have it as a national dish. The most important thing is that the dish is enjoyed by all and honors a great dancer. In the Anzac tradition the honor of creating the Pavlova should be considered shared.
The Australian version of its creation claims Bert Sachse, the chef of Perth’s Esplanade Hotel where Anna had once stayed, in 1935 decided to create a desert in her honor.
This entry would not be complete with out the Pavlova recipe:
Ingredients
4 egg whites
250g castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon corn flour
3 tablespoons of water
Pinch of cream tartar
Method
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff. Add the water. Beat again. Add the sugar and beat until it is dissolved. (About 15 minutes). Fold in the corn flour and remainder of ingredients. Heat the oven to 200 degrees C. Place the mixture on aluminum foil which has been sprinkled with a little corn flour. Turn the oven down to 100 degrees C. DO NOT SPREAD THE MIXTURE OUT. IT SHOULD BE ABOUT 6 INCHES IN DIAMETER. Cook for 1 hour. Turn oven off and leave until cold or overnight. Decorate the top with whipped cream and kiwifruit or strawberries on top.
