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Pavlova Story, The: A Slice of New Zealand's Culinary History

Leach, Helen

Australians and New Zealanders have long debated which country invented the pavlova; a large meringue dessert cake said to emulate the lightness of the famous ballerina, Anna Pavlova. But the real story of the ballerina's visit to the Antipodes and the emergence of three different pavlovas has been neglected. The contributions of a gelatine manufacturer, a Dunedin spinster, and numerous New Zealand housewives are all in this contribution to food history. The book shows the evolution of the three pavlova types, that their recipes have never been set in stone, and that creative and innovative cooks have played important roles in transforming a fashionable afternoon tea cake into an iconic dessert. Includes recipes for 12 classic pavlovas. Colour and black and white illustrations.

Finalist in the 2009 Montana New Zealand Book Awards, Lifestyle and Contemporary category.

1 The Pavlova Wars
2 Why Pavlova?
3 The First Pavlova
4 Rose Rutherford's Little Pavlovas
5 The First Large Pavlovas
6 Pavlovas from 1935 to 1950
7 Pavlovas Come of Age, 1950-59
8 Pavlovas Consolidate, 1960-79
9 Pavlovas Paramount, 1980-99
10 Some Sticky Issues
11 Why Pavlovas are Important
Index

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