Pav. honours to N.Z. so far

Press, 2 July 1985, Page 8

Pav. honours to N.Z. so far

PA Auckland If Australia did in fact bake the first pavlova, let it prove its case, say New Zealand cooks. In the meantime, they continue to claim the distinction.

The argument has arisen over a suggestion by the New Zealand High Commissioner to Western Samoa, Mr Mike Mansfield, that the sugary concoction originated in New Zealand, and that the pavlova recipe was first published in 1935 in the “Otago Daily Times.” The Australian High Com■Moaer In Apia, Mr Tony SaMk, disputed the claim. He cited the “Australian Baeyeiopedla” as saying V

that the recipe was created by a Perth chef during a visit by the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, to Western Australia in 1925.

However, in spite of industrious research, staff at the Australian High Commission in Wellington yesterday failed to find any reference to the pavlova in the latest (1983) edition of the encyclopaedia.

The most authoritative reference that could be turned up in Auckland yesterday was in the “Australian Macquarie Dictionary,” published in 1981. It says the dessert was “invented in 1935 by Herbert Sachse, 1898-1974, Aus-

tralian chef, and named by Harry Nairn of the Esplanade Hotel, Perth,” affter Pavlova.

“Invented in 1935,” New Zealand cooks exclaim. “A likely story. We were making them long before then.”

The New Zealanders seem to have an unimpeachable authority to back them. According to volume HI, published in 1982, of the supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first published reference to a pavlova was contained in Davis Dainty Dishes (sixth edition), published in 1927 by Davis Gelatine NJ!. Ltd. '

The editor of the dictionary happens to be a New

Zealander, R. M. Burchfield. “If the High Commissioners in Apia are not satisfied with that and want to settle the argument with a great pavlova bake-off,” said the New Zealand cooks, “we can supply a suitable recipe.” They point out that in her book, “Stupefying New Zealand Trivia" (Collins, 1979), Dale Williams includes a recipe for a “Giant pavlova for 500 Guests.”

It calls for, among other things, 20 dozen egg whites and 500 tablespoons of sugar, the sugar to be added gradually, one tablespoon at a time.