Cake-off: Tarte au Caramel Sel over Bonheur

I was finally successful in getting the next cake-off going and did not have any trouble running (at least at a 9 km/h pace) despite yesterdays extreme run and 11 km with pauses in the middle felt rather short. Not sure that I'm getting the name correct, but I think Aigre-Douce called it Tarte au Caramel Sel, and I was quite early, so it was not sold out (just, I had to wait for the other early people's orders to get processed). It was also early enough that Bonheur was not actually available when I checked in at Avançons on the way, though they confirmed that it should appear soon ,and it was there as promised on the way back.

Bonheur and Tarte au Caramel Sel

This time I arranged my Aigre-Douce bag better, so that was fixed, but they still put both cool packs against the back of the box, so it was not well balanced; I shifted the outside one to the front. The Bonheur was definitely good, and I approve of the general design, but at this point of my experience, it does not seem that special. It's nice, but very mild. The caramel tart, however, still has strong appeal to me in terms of not being mild: it appears to my sweet tooth and has a strong flavor. So I don't have any trouble calling this cake-off for Aigre-Douce.

Back: ~9 km to Aigre-Douce: Fraicheur Framboise

I've been not cake-running in Tokyo, so no posts. There was a lot of running at least one day and exercise everyday, and much searching for good cake in a land where rollcake is king, putting sponge cake in tarts is apparently okay, and even places that are trying to make high-class French cakes use too much gelatin (which usually means any gelatin, but I don't make cake myself, so I'll allow a certain amount might be necessary structurally).

Anyway, I got a run in, only there was other less runnable shopping than cake and some busy streets, there there was maybe 1 to 2 km of walking involved. I went to Aigre-Douce, near Mejiro Station (目白駅), which is a great shop. I got the "nouveau" Fraicheur Framboise （fresh raspberries: フレッシュール フランボワーズ) for 530 yen. I can't read the text in my photo of the card, but something about the cacao in the chocolate is strong, and of course there are raspberries. The peaks are not hard, so maybe it does not count as a meringue. So, once again, I need to go back to update this entry. No problem for this great cake from a great cake shop, although it is out of the way.  

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Look, my photos line up: progress. This second cake is from Avançons again, which is not so far, being one station away and on the way back. This time, I got a great cake, so there is a reason they sell out when I have to work during the day. This one is called Bonheur (ボヌール). The base is a tart and the top mousse part is mostly caramel, I think, although maybe there was currant in there besides the one that slipped down when I automatically yanked the little decoration with the store name off without thinking. Whoops. The cake was 450 yen and I think great, but I might just be thrilled to be back in the Tokyo cake-running business. 

Tomorrow is rain and Isetan's visiting store is a rollcake place (even in Tokyo), so maybe no running or cake tomorrow.

Cycle Sunday May 31

Today, I decided to go to Ryoco, which is in Shirokanedai, in Minato Ward (港区). I got the below fig tart (イチジクのタルト) for 640 yen because I think that I haven't had it before. Of course, it was very good. Ryoco is the best place I know in that area (the south of inside the Yamanote loop), although there a branches of good places near Ebisu and Meguro stations. The tart has an about-1-cm-thick solid but not hard tart base. I'm guessing that there is some egg in there, to get that texture, but I don't have enough cooking experience to know. That's something I need to work on, but I'm busy running and such. Then creamy custard on top and finally the fruit.

Outside the Yamanote loop on the east side, the canals are not so clean. I decided to try going south first and then cutting over west, but got lost a lot and it's not that great as far as scenery, so I don't think I'll change my standard route to Meguro.

Of course, the goal in going west was to got back to Jiyuugaoka. This time I visited Origines Cacao, another great shop. Below, is what I ordered: the Martinique (マルティニック) for 484 yen. As the raisins on top give away, this is for adults. The bottom is a thin tart shell with rum raisin vanilla cream. On top is a chocolate Chiboust (チョコレートのシブースト), which means I don't no what, since Chiboust is just the name of a famous French chef. Anyway, it is very soft but had a slight granularity to it: the moistness is clustered in grains, not surrounding bubbles, like a mousse, or simply creamy. I was not surprised that it was great.

Lastly, the sad little heart below, who rode in my basket home. It's name is Puchi coeur ("little heart", プチクール) from Avançons next to Takadanobaba Station (高田馬場駅) for I don't know how much (the receipt has gone missing), but not so much: maybe 440 yen. As I should have guessed, it is mainly chocolate mousse (they told me vanilla, but that's just about 10% in the middle). Chocolate mousse and I are still not getting along, but at least I confirmed that they do have a decent selection of cakes if you go earlier. Since it was recommended to me personally, I'll try again. Fourth time's the charm?

12+ km run and Avançons 2nd visit: Gateaux Chocolat

Today was supposed to be a 12 km run, but I got a little lost at the end, so add a little. The best part was along Kanda River (神田川) toward Takadababa (高田馬場 ) station, but only the last couple kilometers。

Cake was from Avançons (アヴァンソン) by the station, but the selection was slim again (second visit), and I ended up with just Gateaux Chocolat (ガトーショコラ) for 400 yen. It was good and I like that kind of cake, but it's not the best I've had, I think. They are supposed to have a lot of other things that I'm more interested in and it was recommended by someone who likes the same main shops. I guess I'm going to have to go there some other time besides after work.