Some recipes have no introduction at all, but I love anytime Maida writes one especially with stories about the recipes. For this recipe, she tells how she sent it to her friend Craig Claiborne who then published it in the NY Times and later crowned it dessert of the year.

I’ve never been a huge chocolate mousse fan; I would rather have chocolate pudding, ice cream or a big glob of frosting. I am also a bit squeamish about eating raw eggs despite using organic which have a lower risk of bacterial contamination. It’s more than infection risk; though, I just don’t like the thought of it. Regardless, I am absolutely sure the torte I made would never come marginally close to print or award worthy. It wasn’t a total flop, but definitely nothing to rave about. I don’t think practice has anything to do with it either.