Cake-off: Éclat des Jours' Rhum Raisin over Dalloyau's Croquant Fraise

Monday, I did a cake-off with what I could get together on a Monday afternoon. I first picked up Éclat des Jours' Rhum Raison on the way back from the airport. I was thinking that I could get a cake from BE, but they were closed down for walk-in cake for weekdays (which they had announced and I forgot), so I ended up cruising south in the late afternoon searching for a matching cake. I had to try two more shops, but found Croquant Fraise at the Jiyuugaoka Dalloyau. This was for a 4th-round cake-off for two wins to one loss. However, as it happens, these are both rather weak entries to the great list, or at least the Rhum Raisin failed to impress me last time as deserving to be among the greats, so it needed recognition this time to stay. It got it: I appreciated its simplicity and how filled a niche. The Croquant Fraise also fills a niche, being an excellent balance of tastes and textures, except I should remove the croquant part as early as possible, because it tends to soak up moisture too quickly as take-out. I actually had more trouble with that the previous time (now I remember), but the Rhum Raisin has the edge regardless. I maintain my respect for both these cakes. 

Cake-off: Au Bon Vieux Temps' Marjolaine over Dalloyau's Croquant Fraise

It was a busy day. First, I ran to Jiyuuoka and got my favorite (still available) cake from Dalloyau, Croquant Fraise, and then continued two more stations distance and got Marjolaine from Au Bon Vieux Temps to have a third-round cake-off with two undefeated cakes. I'm not going to get through all the third rounds this year, I think, so I'm prioritizing to at least staying caught up, in terms of month, on the top winners. Next week I can do a pair one-and-one shops for August cakes.

I came back by train and had a half-lunch before going out by bicycle to try to learn what had been the Daita--Daizawa--Hatagaya--Kamiyama-chou--Kitazawa--Komaba--Motoyoyogi-chou--Nishihara--Oohara--Ooyama-chou--Shouto--Tomigaya--Uehara loop when I ran it, but might need a name change when I finish renewing it. I've had to split off about one third of it as separate loops, as I add shops or notice inconsistencies. In 3 hours, I could do about half, checking out new shops or routes and trying to follow the old route, which I've never known. I may never get this loop, so I'll probably alternate with other more reasonable loops.

The result of the cake-off was that Au Bon Vieux Temps' Marjolaine is perhaps a perfectly executed traditional cake that is nutty, creamy, and not too sweet. I'm less excited about other traditional cakes, but this was is rich and flavorful enough to satisfy me. The Croquant Fraise lost some of its croquant, in that the crunch decoration wilted over time (it should be sticking up behind the strawberry). Seven hours is a long time to wait, but then sell it over a longer period of time. I'm now trying to adjust my handling to un-box cakes when I get them home. The drawer I put them is much smaller than their regular showcase but should be better than just the box. Sorry Dalloyau. I'll try to treat you better next year. (They still have a non-baked cheesecake in line for a third-round, but it lost the first two rounds and I wouldn't surprised if I drop it from the greats list after the next round.)

In the evening, I went out to do neighborhood run down in the Azabu area again. Note sure whether I was wrong about Friday and this was the night I got the Azabu-Dai--Azabu-Mamiana-chou--Higashi-Azabu loop clockwise or what the deal was. I can't think how I would mess it up once, but I'm missing a try somewhere. As I wrote for Friday, the next loop south is still under construction, so even if I got it correct (which I think I did), the course itself was wrong, so no advancement. Southwest of that is the Minami-Azabu west loop, since is a little over 3 km, but I really don't know that one, so I didn't even try to do it without consulting the map. It seems to leave out a correct I thought I had already made to avoid a traffic light, so I adjusted it, but then found a bakery cafe in a hotel, so I adjust it again. Also, there is a tiny path of the main road that looking down it doesn't really resolve whether it is correct to go back a little green space squeezed between apartment buildings.

I went through a lot of Calorie Mate packets (800 kcal worth). I'd like to eat better things or lose a little more weight, but after 1 hour running, I need some energy to keep my immune system sharp, so I watch my time and take care of myself.

Cake-off: Dalloyau's Croquant Fraise over Noix de Beurre's Fraise Chantilly

Saturday, I was busy, but did a fairly long run trying to verify kilometer marks from the 11th kilometer on my neighborhood map but soon ran into a mistake, so I've spent a long time with Google's automatic route plotter fixing through the 25th kilometer, though not at that time. Instead, I ran over to Shibuya Stn. area and visited all the main cake sources and confirmed that I really don't like running around that neighborhood or really have a great need to. It shouldn't have taken 2 hours, but I did a lot of back roads going the wrong direction (though never very far) and the ones on the west side were all crowded.

Not one to learn much from experience, I spent about 3 hours running to get one cake on Sunday. I wanted Croquant Fraise from Dalloyau for a cake-off and started by looking at Ginza Mitsukoshi, but they don't handle that one, they told me. Then I jogged across town to Shibuya Toukyuu (same as the previous night), where they claimed to be sold out of that cake, despite having a full (small) case of other cakes at around noon, so I'm more likely to believe that they never had any. From there, I went to Jiyugaoka, where the main shop is, with a café, mostly along a different route from usual, since I was going from farther west, but it was not any roads I haven't used going that way before and I had no trouble getting what I wanted. Since they open at 8:30 (though not the café until 11), I should of course have just gone straight there, just I was interested in checking out Ginza Mitsukoshi to see what was there on the weekend, and then it seemed worth a stop in at Shibuya as sort of being on my way to Jiyugaoka (but I wasn't going to swing by Meguro Stn.; if I had failed at Dalloyau, I would have given up and gotten cake elsewhere in Jiyugaoka.

The priority cake in this match up was actually Noix de Beurre's Fraise Chantilly, which had managed to win it's first-round cake-off, but this time I really couldn't recognize what was great about it. It's much like a shortcake, which I'm not that into, so I've been giving it the benefit of the doubt sort of, as the best in it's class, but I think that's gone along far enough. Still, I'll keep it in for the third round and if it doesn't manage to seem great then, I'll bump from consideration. Dalloyau's Croquant Fraise, in contrast, is definitely great. I really can't think of another cake where the main component is custard (vanilla) that I think is great, but this one is great on it's own merits. It's certainly the best of the Dalloyau cakes that I've managed to get in a cake-off (most of their great cakes have been seasonal ones that haven't reappeared in the last year).

While I'm catching up, Monday was a pastry day, so I got my first from The Ritz-Carlton Café and Deli, a Pain au Chocolat. I'll note that it was after  7 pm, so they gave me 25% off (in the end, they forget initially and I wasn't sure whether the discount included pastries, since the sign I saw said cake, but they self-corrected). It's on the small side, but a proper traditional pain au chocolat, and was excellent.

Cake off: Saya versus Croquant Fraise

Found two great cakes and went for a comparison, but it took a lot of work.

First, I went to Marunouchi Sadaharu Aoki and verified that they had Saya in stock (I knew it was in season, because it's at Isetan and Tokyo Midtown). Next, I went to Dalloyau and found that Croquant Fraise was also in season and bought it. That took 6 km at almost exactly 12 km/h.

Then I went back to the Sadaharu Aoki, but even though they had had three pieces just a short time before, suddenly they were sold out. It was already too late to go to Isetan but Tokyo Midtown is open until 21:00, so I went there. From Dalloyau to Tokyo Midtown via Marunouchi Sadaharu Aoki was 4.7 km at a low 11 km/h. I was successful: they had four pieces of Saya.

Finally, a few kilometers home with two cakes at a low 10 km/h. So 14 km total not particularly slow, and two pieces of cake, which means only one more weekday run (I plan for a 12 km/h training run tomorrow) and no more cake (but I'll try again to get a baguette). I'm busy this weekend, but maybe I can manage to get up early Saturday morning and get another training run in before my first appointment.

In the face-off of these two cakes, I preferred the Croquant Fraise, which has custard, chocolate, strawberry (the common ingredient), caramelized almond slices, and a macaron shell. The Saya is also excellent, but I wouldn't have rated it as great if this were my first time. I am not surprised. I don't expect to like every cake the same amount every time and the line between excellent and great is not so clear. My impression of Saya was that it was too sweet for me. I had it with tea, so maybe next time I get an Sadaharu Aoki cake, I should either have milk or wine (I can imagine eating at least the fruity ones with sparkling wine).

One-way run to Dalloyau: Croquant Fraise

Jogged to Ginza, getting two sets of 5 30/20/10 intervals in before I got to the moat course and it became impossible. Went to Origines Cacao first and the pickings were slim, just rare cheese cake and strawberry cheese cake, neither of which were likely to be great (both probably both fine), so I went to Dalloyau and got the Croquant Fraise (crunchy strawberry). This has a macaron base, a custard/caramel middle (not sure) with chocolate around it, a little strawberry gel in the middle, one whole strawberry and one whole blueberry, and a large piece of caramelized sliced almonds. Definitely great, for 540 yen. The chocolate is just enough to complement the custard, the macron is delicious, and the other pieces vary the flavor.

Passed several other shops that I've never been too on my way, but today was a great cake day, so I passed them by. Specifically, I went by Ginza Marquise and Piece Montée, about which I knew nothing, but the first seems to have a hazelnut cake that I'd like to try, Gaku, and the second has a couple, although the ones they list that are not currently for sale sound very good. Maybe they are seasonal. Neither are cheap, but then they are in Ginza.

 I was tired from the intense intervals and I had things I need to do at home, so I took the train back.