To make savarin dough, stir 1 teaspoon unflavored sugar into warm milk and sprinkle with yeast.
Let stand 5 minutes or until the surface is frothy.
Stir gently to moisten any dry particles remaining on top.
Sift flour into a large bowl.
Melt butter or margarine; cool slightly.
Beat eggs with remaining unflavored sugar in a medium bowl until frothy.
Mix in vanilla sugar, salt and butter or margarine.
Stir egg mixture into yeast mixture.
Pour into flour, mixing well to almost pouring consistency.
Cover and let rise in a warm place 10 minutes.
Grease and flour a 9-inch (23-cm) savarin pan.
Beat mixture with a wooden spoon and pour into prepared savarin pan.
Cover and set aside until mixture has risen almost to top of pan.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake savarin 40 minutes or until golden.
Turn out onto a rack.
To make syrup, stir rum, white wine, water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar has dissolved.
Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Place a baking sheet under cooling rack to catch syrup.
Pour syrup slowly over warm savarin until absorbed.
Cool.
Place cooled savarin on a cake platter.
To make filling, wash, hull and halve strawberries.
Whip cream with sugar until stiff.
Put whipped cream mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a fluted nozzle.
Place most of strawberries in center of savarin and pipe cream over them.
Garnish with remaining strawberries-and pistachios.