National Mousse Day – November 30, 2024

History of National Mousse Day

When someone says ‘mousse’, don’t you often imagine it as a chocolaty delight? We know — almost always! Surprisingly, mousse was first concocted as a savory dish in 18th century France. It was only in the latter half of the 19th century that fruit mousses became a thing. The French would add whipped cream into fruit, coffee, or liqueurs, or pour the cream on top in the shape of a pyramid. They called this ‘crème en mousse,’ which means ‘cream in a foam’. Present-day recipes of mousse have branched out from this bygone tradition. If you are not a fan of whipped cream, you may consider replacing it with some viciously whisked egg whites. 

The most popular version of mousse today, chocolate mousse, wasn’t always so popular. In fact, it really got into the public eye in the U.S. in the 1930s. This was the time when chocolate pudding was being introduced into American food culture. You could say that the chocolate mousse drew its inspiration from pudding. 

Mousses are ideally served cold, while sweet mousses are sometimes served frozen. The best thing about mousse is that it conveniently lends itself to both savory and sweet recipes. From a thick salmon mousse as a starter to smooth raspberry mousse or the classic chocolate mousse for dessert, there is practically no limit to the flavors that a mousse can embrace. Whereas it also works as a filling in pastries and parfaits, a savory mousse goes well with cheese and fruit platters, turning them into good-looking appetizers.

In many restaurants today, savory mousses are prepared using foie gras, shellfish, avocado, poultry, vegetables, cheese, and other ingredients. Commonly dished out as a light entrée or an appetizer, mousses are often stabilized by adding gelatin to them.