pavlova

What it means

1. AustraliaNew ZealandcountableuncountableA meringue dessert usually topped with fruit and cream.First known use 1927.

   For a successful pavlova you′ll need a spotlessly clean, dry stainless steel or glass bowl.

   2006, Murdoch Books Pty Limited, Lust: Food for Lovers, page 205

   4 more examples

   The pavlova — rich in whipped cream and ice-cream — is a wonderful dessert that should appeal to anyone with a sweet tooth.

   2002, Vijeya Rajendra, Sundran Rajendra, Cultures of the World: Australia, page 128

   Pavlova, named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, is still just about the most popular party dessert in Australia.

   2011, Margaret Fulton, Suzanne Gibbs, Margaret Fulton Favourites, page 194

   Perhaps you lied in the emergency room about eating an entire pavlova and acted like you didn’t know what was wrong with you? If so, make amends by only ever eating a couple of slices of pavlova in one sitting from now on.

   2012, Maeve Higgins, “Baby dressed as sushi”, in We Have a Good Time … Don’t We? A Regular Human Girl Decides, Dublin: Hachette Books Ireland, →ISBN, page 205

   Steal the pavlova if you must, but only an April Fool would deem the lamington a Kiwi import.

   2021 April 14, David Astle, “Lamington wars: claiming an Australian invention really takes the cake”, in The Age

In a sentence

The pavlova — rich in whipped cream and ice-cream — is a wonderful dessert that should appeal to anyone with a sweet tooth.

2002, Vijeya Rajendra, Sundran Rajendra, Cultures of the World: Australia, page 128

Where it comes from

1. RussianПа́влова
2. Englishpavlova

From the surname Pavlova, from Russian Па́влова (Pávlova), feminine form of Па́влов (Pávlov), named after Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova (1881–1931). Australia/New Zealand from circa 1930. Both nations lay claim to origination of the dish and the name. According to research undertaken by the Oxford English Dictionary, however, the earliest known attestation for the term is from New Zealand in 1927.

First known use: 1927.