The Wonders of Pavlova

Pavlova.  I had never even heard of Pavlova until I had a version of it (called Salzburger Nockerl) at Kurt Guttenbrunner's restaurant Wallse. It was heavenly and I became obsessed with it.  Apparently, it has quite a bit of history attached to is and was named for the Russian ballet dancer, Anna Pavlova.

It's basically a very large meringue cookie on the bottom and is topped with sweetened whipped cream and fresh fruit.  The version that you see to the left has fresh white peaches and blueberries that have been mascerated in lime juice and about a tablespoon of sugar.  I made this one this past summer during peak peach season.    I've also made it with different berries or with kiwi and strawberries. 

I've brought Pavlovas to parties and they are always a hit.  There's something about the crunchy yet chewy texture of the meringue and the topping is so creamy and delicious.  It also feels kind of healthy since it has fresh fruit on top.  Don't top the meringue with the whipped cream and fruit until you are ready to serve.  It will get soggy if you leave the whipped cream and fruit on for too long.  Bon appetit!