New Zealand and Australia have been arguing about who invented it since the 1930s. The pavlova itself is uninvolved in this dispute and continues to be a very good dessert.
About Pavlova
New Zealand's fiercely claimed national dessert (disputed equally fiercely by Australia) — a crisp meringue shell with a marshmallow interior piled with freshly whipped cream, passionfruit, kiwifruit and strawberry; the passionfruit curd dripping down the sides is the defining image of every New Zealand Christmas lunch; the origin story features ballerina Anna Pavlova's 1926 tour.
Australia claims it. New Zealand claims it. Food historians have found an older New Zealand recipe. The argument is cultural rather than culinary and will not be resolved. The pavlova itself — a crisp meringue shell with a marshmallow interior piled with whipped cream, passionfruit and kiwifruit — is not participating in the dispute and simply continues to be excellent.
“The argument is cultural rather than culinary and will not be resolved.”
New Zealand's Christmas falls in summer. The pavlova's passionfruit and kiwi topping reflects this perfectly — a cold, fruit-laden dessert for a midsummer afternoon.
