A recipe for deliciousness! (and specifically pavlova)

We had a feast day in anthropology last week, and I decided to make a pavlova. A what, you say? A pavlova is a holiday or celebratory meringue cake eaten traditionally in Australia and New Zealand. It was created in honour of the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova who toured Australia and NZ in the 1920s (it's light and airy just like her I guess - plus I bet she was crunchy on the outside). Australia and NZ equally claim the creation of the pavlova. According to Wikipedia, research has proven that New Zealand has the more legitimate claim. But don't listen to me, I'm biased. So anyway, a pav as it is colloquially known, is delicious and easy to make. Here is what it could look like:

Note: this recipe isn't mine originally. But since cookbook writers don't even feel the need to always cite their sources, neither do I! (it was procured somewhere on the internet and possibly combined a few different sites' interpretations).

So you want to make a magical pav! (it's the eggs that supply the magic) Here's how. You'll need:

4 large egg whites (you could make an omelette with the yolks, or something)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 and a half teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Then:
-Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line a baking tray with foil and draw a circle (they said 7 inches) on it with the blunt edge of a knife (don't cut the foil!).
-Beat the egg whites on medium speed until they form soft peaks.
-Continue beating as you add the sugar, a little at a time, until it forms stiff glossy peaks.
-Fold in the cornstarch and the vinegar, and then the vanilla, with a plastic spatula.
-Spread the meringue in your circle on the foil - the edges must be a little higher than the middle so it doesn't become a pav pancake.
-Bake for an hour and fifteen minutes. It should be a pale pink color - but remember: do not open the oven door! I have made this twice and the time was perfect both times, so you shouldn't need to check it.
-Turn oven off, let the pavlova cool completely - do not open the door or it will crack/flatten. I let it cool for about 3 and a half hours and that was good.
-Shortly before serving, cover with whipped cream. I used cool whip, but if you're more discerning, you can make your own topping: whip 1 cup heavy whipping cream until you get soft peaks, then add 1 and a half tablespoons granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
-Put on fruit on top of the cream. Think tart fruits, here, to counteract the sweetness of the meringue. I prefer kiwifruit, but raspberries and blackberries work well too - go wild!
-Eat and enjoy! Easy as!

Who doesn't love kiwifruit? MMMM

PS - sorry vegans, this isn't going to be an easy one to substitute :( I'm not sure that so far we have egg substitutes that are as magical as eggs. One day, perhaps? I still love you though and have a great cake recipe for you - I'll post it sometime. Also, if anyone knows of a way to make this vegan, or tries it out - let me know how it goes!

Potpourri post!

1) Porn. Boing Boing posted the site Make Love Not Porn not long after I had seen someone looking at it. Just before seeing that, though, I had read an interview with porn star/creator Joanna Angel, who is asked about the lack of kissing in porn. She argues that maybe it's not porn that has caused people in real sexual relationships to kiss less. Perhaps it is the opposite. After all, real sex is a constantly evolving practice. There are fads and fashions in it, too. People aren't doing it the same way that they were in the '60s, not even as they were 10 years ago. Angel also claims that porn actors do it like they do it in real life, just more exaggerated for the camera. So how about that, Make Love Not Porn? What if some people DO have sex more like you see it in porn? What if sex has influenced porn, as well as vice versa? Of course, sex is a matter of personal choices; not everybody does it the same. The Make Love Not Porn site situates 'real sex' in a very particular context. According to the site, 'real sex' is monogamous, heterosexual, vaginal sex that you have with someone you love. But I hate to break it to you: that's not the only kind of sex! Not by far. Lots of people do it 'cause it feels good, with the same sex, non-vaginally, and with various partners. And as long as it's consensual, more power to them! Sex is a great thing; but you do what you're comfortable with, and what you and your partner decide is the right way for you both. And that might end up being just like something you'd see in porn. However, I do think porn, too, makes it seem like there's only one way to have sex, and might cause unreal expectations.

2) Tenshi tweeted me an awesome link that goes right along with the semen cookbook I found online a little while ago: The Testicle Cookbook! Well, people have been eating Rocky Mountain Oysters for a long time, so there you go. It's definitely more legit than cooking with semen...

3) Third topic for today: cold water safety! Randy, my awesome canoeing instructor, sent us a link about a boating safety cold water boot camp which, if you watch the video, will make you ALWAYS want to wear a lifejacket. If you don't have one, you could drown within 5 minutes of being in below 40 degree Fahrenheit water.

4) Bonus point! I am so tempted to buy some food from New Zealand because I miss certain things, and many of them can be imported. It's not that expensive... but I'm guessing the shipping is killer...