A meringue-based dessert — crisp shell, soft marshmallowy centre — topped with whipped cream and fruit. In New Zealand, kiwifruit on top is traditional and it's the national celebration dessert.

Did New Zealand or Australia invent the pavlova?

Both claim it, but documented New Zealand recipes from the late 1920s predate Australia's, and early dictionary citations point to NZ. Kiwis consider the case closed.

Why is it called a pavlova?

It's named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured New Zealand and Australia in 1926 — the dessert was said to be as light as her dancing.

Sweet As Tees › NZ Slang › Pavlova / Pav

Pavlova / Pav — Meaning in NZ Slang

Pavlova / Pav: NZ's national dessert — meringue, cream, kiwifruit, and a rivalry. Pronunciation: pav-LOH-vah, or just 'the pav'.

What does "Pavlova / Pav" mean?

The pavlova — "the pav" to its friends — is a cloud of baked meringue, crisp outside, marshmallow-soft inside, buried under whipped cream and fruit. In New Zealand the classic topping is kiwifruit (naturally) and strawberries, and it is non-negotiably the centrepiece of Christmas dinner, birthdays, and any occasion where nana is present.

Then there's the war. Australia claims the pav; New Zealand knows better. Food historians have found New Zealand pavlova recipes from the late 1920s, ahead of Australia's claims, and the Oxford English Dictionary weighed in with an early NZ citation. Kiwis consider the matter settled and Australians consider it ongoing, which describes roughly half of trans-Tasman relations.

Pav culture has its own physics: it must be made the day before, it will crack (that's character, not failure), the cream goes on at the last minute, and there is never any left. Bring a pav to a Kiwi gathering and you will be invited back forever.

Origin

Named for the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova after her 1926 Australasian tour, the dessert's true birthplace is the longest-running food dispute in the southern hemisphere. New Zealand's claim is strong — early NZ recipes predate the well-known Australian ones — and no Kiwi Christmas is complete without one, or without the argument.

Examples

"Who's on pav duty for Christmas?"
"The pav cracked." "All pavs crack. Cream hides everything."
"She does a mean pav — double layer, kiwifruit on top."
"Australia invented the pav." "Get out of my house."

FAQs

What is a pavlova?: A meringue-based dessert — crisp shell, soft marshmallowy centre — topped with whipped cream and fruit. In New Zealand, kiwifruit on top is traditional and it's the national celebration dessert.
Did New Zealand or Australia invent the pavlova?: Both claim it, but documented New Zealand recipes from the late 1920s predate Australia's, and early dictionary citations point to NZ. Kiwis consider the case closed.
Why is it called a pavlova?: It's named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured New Zealand and Australia in 1926 — the dessert was said to be as light as her dancing.

Related NZ slang: Kai | Hangi | Dairy | Jandals

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