Something a bit different today!
Anne Spudvilas is an absolutely wonderful illustrator based in regional NSW whose rich, gorgeous work has adorned the books of many Australian authors, including myself. I’m very happy to say by the way that the original painting of the glorious cover she did for my 1993 novel, The Opera Club, adorns one of our walls at home–a very kind gift from Anne herself.
And today, with her permission, I’m presenting on this blog as well as my A la mode frangourou food blog, another gift, another rich and gorgeous work, this time of an edible kind! It’s the pavlova volcano, and it’s absolutely spectacular!
From Anne:
This recipe brings back memories of two wonderful New Year’s Eve celebrations on the Murray River when i first came here. Julie Chambers, director of the Art Vault where i did two wonderful printmaking residencies, makes this as the ‘piece de resistance’ at her long long New Year’s Eve dinner table.
Make three pavlovas. Home made are best and if they don’t look too flash it doesn’t matter. Break them into large pieces and begin to construct your volcano using vanilla icecream and whipped cream to hold it all together. Add 4 punnets of assorted richly coloured berries. Pour over two more punnets of assorted berries, pureed with 1/2 cup orange juice and 1 tbspn of liqueur added (i love Cointreau).
Feathers of the Firebird 