The Urban Foodie: The final flourish - Lavender & Strawberry Pavlova with White Chocolate shards

Thursday, 15 November 2007

The final flourish - Lavender & Strawberry Pavlova with White Chocolate shards

I decided to finish the meal with a bit of a spectacular flourish - and felt that only one dessert is possibly big and blousey enough to carry it off in true diva fashion is of course the Pavlova. Created (so they say) for a Russian Prima Ballerina and diva (by the sounds of things), the Pavlova is more of a fashion statement than food. To be honest I love the combination of meringue, cream and berries, it is definately decadent in the most ostentatious way. With ostentation in mind, I set about making this a true queen of pavs - so infused the meringue with lavender flowers, and made a lavender syrup that then I folded into the cream (I prefer to use creme fraiche mixed with double cream as the subtle sourness works well with the sweet meringue) that sandwiched the two pieces together. I chose to decorate it with red berries, with redcurrants draped about it like Bulgari jewels. The final flourish came with ultra thin slithers of white chocolate that had been infused with green peppercorns, projecting from the roof of this pudding at uncomfortable angles, much like a Zaha Hadid building, well at least in my imagination it did.

4 comments:

Rarebeet said...: I once had lavender ice cream and nearly died! Well ok not died but it was kind of reminded me of toilets and pot pourri. Not very appetising. But I;m willing to give yours a try! Anything for you darling Steven!; 16 November 2007 at 09:39
Steve Wallis said...: Ahhhhh thankyou, I'd cook for you anyday...lol ;); 16 November 2007 at 16:53
Vida said...: Steven, this looks phenominal!!!! An absolute picture... I am blown away... I make pav often but this is the mother of all pavs... I just made semifreddo and have egg whites left, can you guess what I have earmarked for them NOW???? Thanks, darling S, Vida x x x; 17 November 2007 at 06:21
Tony said...: Wow. That beats the presentation of my mom's pavlova ANYDAY!; 21 November 2007 at 12:32

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MUSINGS AND QUOTES ON FOOD

"My weaknesses have always been food and men, in that order."

Dolly Parton

"Fish, to taste right, must swim three times - in water, in butter, and in wine."

Polish Proverb

"A fruit is a vegetable with looks and money. Plus, if you let fruit rot, it turns into wine, something Brussels sprouts never do."

P.J. O'Rourke

"An empty belly is the best cook."

Estonian Proverb

"A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch."

James Beard

"The smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls, ready to remind us...."
Marcel Proust

"When the girl returned, some hours later, she carried a tray, with a cup of fragrant tea steaming on it; and a plate piled up with very hot buttered toast, cut thick, very brown on both sides, with the butter running through the holes in it in great golden drops, like honey from the honeycomb. The smell of that buttered toast simply talked to Toad, and with no uncertain voice; talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cosy parlour firesides on winter evenings, when one's ramble was over and slippered feet were propped on the fender, of the purring of contented cats, and the twitter of sleepy canaries."
The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame

"People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it is safer to harrass rich women than motorcycle gangs."
Unknown

"Scallops are expensive, so they should be treated with some class. But then, I suppose that every creature that gives his life for our table should be treated with class."
Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet

"Never eat more than you can lift.."
Miss Piggy, Diva.

"The squid is so cooperative. Its body forms a tube that can be stuffed with marvelous fillings. You don't have to be Greek to enjoy this one. "
Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet

"The joys of the table belong equally to all ages, conditions, countries and times; they mix with all other pleasures, and remain the last to console us for their loss."
Jean Antheleme Brillet-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste