Pavlova, My Heart's Dearest

While I was in Singapore, my aunt introduced me to the prettiest dessert. It's called Pavlova. There's a great debate among the people down under as to whether this dish originated from New Zealand or Australia. Just look up a few "how to" vids on Youtube. Almost everyone begins with. . . "And for all you AUSTRALIANS out there, pavlova was invented in New Zealand!!" And vice versa. The on-going cultural row seems a bit nugatory, but its amusing.

Anyway, the story is that the guy who created pavlova named it after a famous Russian ballerina because the fluffy, marshmallowy meringue looked just like her tutu. I like a dessert with a cute story behind it.

Here's the pavlova that Purni made in Singapore. Beautiful, isn't it? The meringue is ultra-sweet, so it is usually topped with tart fruits like kiwi, berries, and PASSIONFRUIT. That's the gooey, yellowy substance you see. Passionfruit is a little iffy looking, but divine-- especially on pavlova.

I tried my hand at making pavlova over the summer. Here's the meringue. It was actually really pretty on its own. Glossy and white.

There's no passionfruit to be found in Mesa, AZ. Still, the berries, kiwi, and mangoes served the dual-function of tasting awesome and making my pavlova look colorful.

I was really scared to try my pavlova when it was finished. I put a lot of work into it. I wanted it to be good, but I was afraid it might be a major fail. Amused by my toiling in the kitchen, my mom and brothers watched closely as I took the first bite. I literally started jumping up and down. "It's good! It's good!"

This is great for people who have a little sweet tooth. That meringue is just ridiculously sugary and light. Combine it with the whipped cream and fresh fruit, and its a dream. What more could you want in a dessert?

Ahhhh. Pavlova, I want you!!