100 Things That Still Make Being Me Just That Bit Better... 30
...pavlova.
Yes, yes, I've looked at the evidence and it was a New Zealand invention. But we adopted it so thoroughly that it has a good claim (with Vegemite, meat pies and Anzacs) to be classic Aussie comfort food. It's at every office lunch, most serious celebrations (a christening without one is to me vaguely wrong) and most clubs, bistros and small restaurants would as no more think of deleting pav from the dessert menu as not putting forks on the table.
You can buy pretty damn delicious ones in a box at any supermarket (just slather on the cream and fruit) but they tend (for obvious reasons) to be drier inside, the classic homemade one when done right are soft and fluffy and maybe even just slightly gooey inside, so just that much splendider :) I've had other flavours (black forest with chocolate meringue, and a to die coffee-flavoured one with Kahlua cream and chocolate curls) but when all it said and done, taking the classic and piling it high with cream, strawberries, banana, kiwifruit (gold or green) and lashings of passionfruit... oh yes.
I like pav. Can you tell? :)