Deconstructing Pavlova

I made a pavlova for the 4th of July because that’s the kind of American I am.  The kind that doesn’t let patriotism veto her dessert choices.  No one at the table was exactly sure what a pavlova was or where it came from, but we had fun speculating nonetheless.  Names have been omitted to protect the innocent:

What’s a pavlova anyway?  A cake?

No, isn’t it more like a free-form soufflé with whipped cream and fruit piled on top?

Somebody described it one time and it sounded like an omelet.

An omelet?  For dessert?  Yuck!

It’s not an omelet, it’s a meringue.  You don’t fall in love with a Russian ballerina, create a dessert in her honor, and then unveil…an omelet.

Could happen.  Men are retards.           (<--this wasn’t me, by the way)

I didn’t know it was named after a Russian ballerina...

Yeah, Anna Pavlova. 

She must have been pretty hot.

I thought it was named after a singer.

What singer?  Luciano Pavlova?

(Somebody starts singing O sole mio in fake Russian.)

No, you idiots, it was named after Pavlov’s dog.  Remember?  Somebody rings a bell and you immediately take a bite of pavlova. 

That’s not how the story goes. 

Who would name a dessert after a dog anyway?

I would if my dog could dance in pointe shoes!

Shhhhhhh.  The Russian spies don’t take kindly to people insulting their national heroes. 

So then pavlova is a Russian dessert?

No, Australian.

I’m so confused.

The guy who fell in love with Pavlova and invented the dessert was Australian.  Maybe.

Did he own a dog?

There was no dog!!! 

Wikipedia says it was invented in New Zealand, not Australia.

Whatever.  All I know is if pavlova was invented somewhere down under and they were hell-bent on naming it after a dancing animal, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be a dog.  It would be a kangaroo.

No, a wallaby!

And to think I was once a fact-checker!  Coming soon: a recipe.

Comments

[Kim]

priceless...really, its these kinds of posts that make me love your blog (and make me realize that our families can be all equally nuts/annoying/funny/insane!).

[Dad]

Geez, what nut thought Anna Pavlova was a singer?

[Amy]

Lol. Great dinner conversation. And I love your Dad's comment. He and my Dad could get together and trade joke's about their daughters.

[melch]

What a wonderful way to build up the suspense for a recipe! Meal time at your house always sounds so entertaining.

[Cindy]

This is a bit random, but I read an essay in the latest issue of Gastronomica about the origin of the pavolva. The author spent what seems like a couple years researching how it all came to be.

[megan]

I go with Australian... Kiwis are always trying to take credit for the Aussies.

[andrea]

Seriously, you couldn't have just gone with a lemon meringue pie? You had to open this can of worms?

Megan, this isn't my blog, but as the wife of a Kiwi, I think we will have to have words. What's with the Canadian taking sides anyway?

[megan]

I am Australian too... I know fighting words....