The Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. It was created in her honor during one of her tours to the Southern Hemisphere in the 1920s. Both Australia and New Zealand claim to be the birthplace of the dish, causing a long-standing culinary rivalry. However, recent research suggests that similar meringue recipes existed in both countries and even the US before the 1920s. A pavlova is distinct from a regular meringue because of the addition of cornstarch and vinegar (or acid), which gives it a crisp outer shell and a soft, marshmallow-like interior. It is traditionally topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, most commonly passionfruit and kiwifruit.