History

The Pavlova is an iconic dessert for both New Zealand and Australia with its creation being fiercely debated and claimed by both countries.

The reality is that basic meringue recipes have been around for centuries, and that these recipes have evolved over time. Certainly the contribution and innovations made by New Zealand's home bakers from the 1920's through to the 1980's were significant in the evolution of the Pavlova and its popularity in this country. The first recorded meringue-based Pavlova recipe in New Zealand is Rose Rutherford's Pavlova Cakes in 1928. The first known recipe for a large pavlova was published in New Zealand in 1929.

These meringues were named after the prima ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured New Zealand in 1926. It is rumoured that the Pavlova dessert was named in her honour by a Wellington chef. The light and fluffy Pavlova dessert is thought to represent the ballerina's famous swan costume which consisted of a white, layered tutu.

Nearly fifty years after the first Pavlova recipes began to appear, Cowell's Genuine Pavlova succeeded in producing the same traditional high-rise product that was developed and perfected by New Zealand's home bakers. From the opening of the first Cowell's kitchen in Dunedin in 1972 to now, we are proud to be making and baking our quality Pavlova from 3 commercial kitchens around New Zealand.

Information has been obtained from The Pavlova Story, written by Helen Leach, published by Otago