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Anna Pavlova and desert she inspired
Photo taken 1926 during Australian visit
held at the National Library of Australia
This is a typical Pavlova with fresh fruit on top
The New Zealand recipe almost always calls for
Kiwi fruit while the Australian recipe often uses
strawberries or banana.
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Most Australian’s know Pavlova as 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 German 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 world with her own 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 a shared.
The Australian version of its creation attributes it to Bert Sachse, the chef of Perth’s Esplanade Hotel where Anna had once stayed, who in 1935 decided to create a desert in her honor. .
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