The Great Trans-Tasman Nommage Debate

Photo taken at the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland, NZ.
(That tea-time china set, by the by? Lovely.)  

This one's for those of you scoring at home, and would rather not bring up the same old debates about Russell Crowe and Keith Urban with your Aussie and Kiwi friends.



- Lamingtons: New Zealanders still maintain that the recipe started with them first, but I think that neither country has yet to claim the concept for the jam-filled lamington. Either way, they're both delish - and any resemblance between them and the Hostess Sno-Ball will be rendered irrelevant at first bite.

- ANZAC Biscuits: This is the one case where many food historians are pretty clear about the first record of the original recipe emerging from New Zealand. Come to think of it, I ate more than my fair share of these in Aotearoa, and I'm beginning to miss them something fierce.

- Pavlova:  Definitely a draw. Apparently both countries do not seem to be disputing each other's claims on the Pav as a national dessert, since this beautiful cake-like treat was created in honor of Anna Pavlova's tour of Australia and NZ. Everyone agrees that a good Pav always starts with a good meringue - toasty on the outside and fluffy on the inside - which can then be filled up with lovely real whipped cream and colorful fruit. Try making your own Pavs if you can, because they're very easy to put together once you get the meringue down pat.