Origines Cacao: Cassis Vanille

Worked late, but still got to Ginza in time to get the last Cassis Vanille from Origines Cacao, which I think catches me up with their current line-up. Forget to check on cakes for the next cake-off, so I should stop back and ask about both new cakes and that if I manage to get out there again during the week (I'll have two chances, but I'm busy). In terms of construction, I would say that I don't like this type of cake, with sponge wrapped around a soft filling, and yet it worked for me this time, with a really nice vanilla accented by the cassis. I might be favoring them, but I'm calling this one excellent, so they're still a priority shop. Ran most of the way back, I'll say, though not after I stopped the first time for groceries. Also did the indoor upper body weights workout, so just running tomorrow, somewhere that closes late.

Origines Cacao: Noisette Chocolat

Simple run to Ginza and back. Rain started while I was getting cake, but I had heavy jacket in my bag with a hood, which was enough for the light rain, even in December Tokyo. It was time for Origines Cacao's 25th cake, but still a few cakes behind it's new superb category's target level, as well as dominating the quite superb category, though averaged over a lot few categories, so it's got a long way to go to get promoted again, but today's cake was excellent, which keeps it in the running for now. There were two new cakes, and I was focused on the Noisette Chocolat, though the other was marked seasonal, so I should have picked it. Note disappointed though. Very nice chocolate and hazelnut mousse cake.

Cake-off: Origines Cacao's Mont-Blanc Japonais over Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne Rouge

I'm late for the usual reason: I've got absorbed in updating my map, and now I've decided to change the way I update it to make future updates more automatic, supposedly, or at least the calculations involved.

First, Friday was no cake, but I did some neighborhood running course work, confirming two revised loops: the revised Jinnan and new Uwada-chou loops, both on the far side of Yamanote Line between Shibuya and Harajuku stations. Along the way I also noticed a new shop advertising macarons along the north side of Cat Street, Remicone, but fortunately it's already on that neighborhood's course, so no updated required.

The next day was a cake-off day, despite my not being able to get an early start (though I did a weights indoor workout), since I trusted Ginza sources not to run out even if I didn't arrive by noon. I confirmed a couple sites in Akasaka don't need to be on my map (they advertise fresh-baked bread, but it's already in plastic bags in the morning, so not worth my interest).

The cakes were great cakes from earlier in the week, since I'm otherwise up to date on any pair of great cakes available without a loss in the same round. It was Origines Cacao's Mont-Blanc Japonais and Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne Rouge. I noticed this time that the mont-blanc bears some similarity to JPH's, which is my top mont-blanc in that the meringue in the middle is perhaps almond (since it's got that kind of color). It's still great I don't get tired of it. Lenôtre's Feuille d'Automne Rouge wasn't disappointing, but there's a lot of chocolate that breaks into pieces, making it difficult to cut and eat efficiently. I might try a different strategy next time.

Evening running (since the Ginza running didn't amount to much) was in the area between Yotsuya, Kojimachi, Akasaka, and Tameike-Sannou stations and managed all four clockwise (changing one loop after the fact).

Origines Cacao: Mont-Blanc Japonais

Failed to get the new cake of Sadaharu Aoki from Isetan, so I went to Ginza. Normally, I wouldn't go to Origines Cacao so soon, but they are holding up FC, who has new cakes, and there is only one new cake from Origines Cacao to try, so I figured it might take a few tries (even as it is looking like getting SA's new cake is going to take a few tries, but I'm free Thursday afternoon, so certainly by then). And I was successful and got the Mont-Blanc Japonais (corrected), actually the first mont-blanc I've ever gotten from there, as the 24th new cake. I mostly walked it back because I was using the big bag and because I planned (and did) the non-weights indoor workout when I got home.

This was another great mont-blanc, and again I'm not sure why other then just pure simplicity and I could have kept eating more, and yet it was different from the last great mont-blanc (it will be interesting if they get to face off against each other). The Japanese chestnut is milder than the standard import, which should work for someone like me who isn't that into the strong flavor, but that hasn't proved true until this one.

I'm going to officially call it and promote Origines Cacao to the superb category, knocking down poor Bien-Étre to quite exceptional, so they need a cake-off win to get a visit from me (though, speaking of mont-blanc, they have a great one that hasn't had a third-round match). Also, now Origines Cacao is slightly dominated both quite superb shops, though will only half the cakes, so they are a long way from that promotion. Still, it means, I should hold of on FC at least, whose slightly below SA. Also, now that the superb shops are resolved (and Viron's dropped slightly), I should get a new cake from Paris S. Wish now that I had paid closer attention to new cakes when I was there yesterday. Maybe that's where I'll go Thursday, though I can put that off while I visit the returned Hilltop Coffee Parlor and go there Saturday.

Origines Cacao: Saint-Honoré Caramel Poire

Wednesday, I went for my 23rd new cake (I think, updating) from Origines Cacao and finally got the Saint-Honoré Caramel Poire (I hope that's correct). I ran there, but saint-honoré look a little fragile and the shop seemed a little concerned about my being careful (though that might have been my imagination), so I walked back, and also my right foot gives me trouble, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to rest it (though the problem is not obviously correlated with running). I expect to be pretty active tomorrow, probably bicycle first in the afternoon, then do weights, and then run in the evening.

The cake was definitely the kind I like, so although I can't be sure that it was better than the previous two days', it was excellent for me. The shop still is still challenging FC two ranks above, so I think I can justify going back next week.

Origines Cacao: Saint-Michel

Wednesday, after several tries, I finally got a new cake that was better than good. It was time to visit quickly rising quite exceptional shop Origines Cacao again. I still haven't managed to get my first choice of the new cakes before it sold out, but I thought I would try the Saint-Michel (over the pumpkin one). Running was a direct there and back, though I of course checked out things at Ginza Mitsukoshi and used the tunnels to cross from there to Hibiya Park and avoid a lot of traffic lights.

From the description, this cake seems to be a round Saint-Marc except for the vanilla part being "bombe" cream (they didn't spell it, but I've assumed the French word). The next day, I asked what that meant and they just said it was a really light cream, but I assume it's pâte à bombe (whipped egg, heavy on the yokes, with sugar), maybe mixed with whipped cream. Certainly there seemed to be some other flavor than just vanilla and chocolate in there, but I've already forgotten. Could have been egg. Anyway, it was excellent, so Origines Cacao maintains it top priority status. Still needs 6 more new cakes before I can consider promoting it to superb.

Origines Cacao, Mille-Feuille Tatin

From the last great new cake, Origines Cacao is challenging shops two levels about its shop group, so I was back again this week. This time I went with the Mille-Feuille Tatin. But mille-feuille cakes are tricky constructions at the best of times, so putting a heavy tatin on top isn't the greatest idea, I think. Your only choice is toe separate the two halves, which is reasonable, but a tatin is pretty mild by itself and this cream-filled base doesn't really add much (in hindsight, I probably should have raised the temperature of both parts before eating). Still, good, though and still challenging the quite superb group, so it remains a top priority for new cakes: I expect I'll be back there next Wednesday.

Cake-off Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné over Origines Cacao, Tarte Citron

Went to Ginza the long way, so I could finish off the added Minami-Aoyama 1 loop and also get the pictures for the added Kita-Aoyama east loop. It was also a late start, as I had a morning appointment, but the goal was get there around noon in case I needed to visit a shop that opens then. The main target was Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné, but I then went to Origines Cacao and firmed that the Tarte Citron is not a standard, so I got that. I know I said I wasn't going to this week, but another seasonal cake appeared at F Cassel, so I figured I need to step things up. Also, I'm busy next week, so was not sure whether I would be able to get a cake-off in.

It was not a lot of running, but it was around 1 pm by the time I got home and then there was lunch, so I didn't save the cakes so long. The sugar-heavy Longchamp Praliné didn't have any trouble convincing me that it was the winner, but the Tarte Citron, while mild, went great with it, which I think as one of it's strong points, so I'm not so worried about it not belong with the greats.

I had planned to do my largest loop Sunday, so no more running Saturday, but I found a flaw in that loop, so I have to reset completing it (wiping out my clockwise completion), so it seemed less important. That being the case, I decided I'd work on other loops Sunday, so I started that by trying the revised Tomigaya-Yoyogi loop while also running an errand to figure out how to revise the Hatagaya--Nishihara loop, which was not as nearby as I had hoped, and I also stopped for bread. I was able to follow the planned loop perfectly, but realized that it couldn't be correct under my current rules for courses and I was right, so it was just practice (the correct map turns one block earlier at one point).

Origines Cacao: Tarte Citron

Worried about (or despite worrying about) various health issues, I ran not so fast to Ginza to get another cake from Origines Cacao (and seem to be okay for it). It wasn't a fast run and I walked a lot of the way home, because I had time and cake. I think there were two cakes I hadn't had at Origines Cacao and I made the obvious choice and took the one that wasn't pumpkin-based: the Tarte Citron. Note, that this is lemon (I assume, though there could be other things in there) meringue and in no way resembles a tart (or pie) in terms of shape and crust. Nevertheless, it seems to be the perfect lemon meringue whatever, with just the right amount of crust, so I'm not suggesting it would have been better in a tart shell (though I'm not saying it wouldn't, because it is good crust). I'm going to go with great for this one, which is a little dangerous, as it probably reflects the lack of any other active great citron cakes (one of the inactive ones is also Origines Cacao, from almost 4 years ago, with other from Viron about 2.5 years ago, both citron noisette cakes). I could pit this against the seasonal JPH cake next, rather than the planned Mont-Blanc, but there's another JPH cake I can use for this one and not have it twice in four days, so I'll hold off at least a week.

Origines Cacao: Tarte Exotique

Friday night, for cake, I went by bicycle to Ginza 6 and got Tarte Exotique from origines Cacao, which was back to challenging Sadaharu Aoki, despite being two categories below it.

For running, I went back down to Azabu and finished off the Roppongi 5 loop by doing it counterclockwise. I also got the Azabu-Dai--Azabu-Mamiana-chou--Higashi-Azabu loop correct clockwise, which also was not a huge challenge. I also practiced tried the Moto-Azabu--Azabu-Juuban loop, but I keep finding new things to add and it's got lots of tricky turns southwest of Azabu-Juuban station, where there are lots of shops. Gave up trying the loop further south.

The Tarte Exotique was an excellent substantial tart. I'll have to check again to find out what fruits it has besides pineapple, but it was not overly sweet, which I was fine with. This cake was front loading for when I'm busy next week, though it was also part of an attempt to find a second great cake for the next cake-off, but I found stopping at FC that the cake I was looking for an opponent for has been replaced in the lineup by an Opera.

Origines Cacao, Double Fromage

Hit my highest priority target by running to Ginza 6 and getting my 18th new cake from Origines Cacao. Looks like they'll keep their seasonal cakes through Aug. 25, and it looks like JPH might do the same (they are running at about 2 months between changes, or half the speed of previously). Didn't try to stop by Sadaharu Aoki on the way back, so not sure what they'll do for August, but usually they have have some special somewhere once a month (not necessarily cake) and change the seasonable cakes every 3 months. I have to check Tokyo Midtown on Saturday and maybe Isetan on Sunday. Back to Origines Cacao today: rather than one of the seasonal ones, I went with a standard I hadn't had yet, Double Fromage (I think it was called), which is obviously a rare-baked combo cheesecake, usually the best kind of fancy cheesecake. This time the running was 1:7 walking/waiting:running, with 1 min of dash in the middle of the running, for actual muscle training. Only could do 8 full cycles, though, so just over 55 min of running. Not sure whether I'll adjust the ratio for the next run planned Saturday morning, since I'd like to hit 10 dashes in a run, though once a week for that might be enough. I'll consider.

The cake was definitely excellent, flavorful with a relatively light texture, so this shop is still in line to take a spot among the superb shops, but it's no longer challenging the quite superb shops, which I now can get back to visiting, after Lenôtre (the new top priority) and cake-off winners, along with quite fine shops and occasionally new shops (though maybe not until Lenôtre's place is settled).

Origines Cacao, Tarte Houjicha

Ran to Ginza 6 and back to visit Origines Cacao. This time I was successful at finding new cakes (there were three, I think, two of them seasonal ones). I went with the (seasonal) Tarte Houjicha [revised], though I was a little worried that I had eaten this one before, despite my record to the contrary. Actually, it was B-E that I had had a houjicha (roasted green tea) and chocolate tart from previously. The running was 1 min:3 min of walking:running, adding up to 55 minutes total of running (so I wasn't going that fast).

The tart was very nice. I wouldn't have identified houjicha without the name, but I also wouldn't have known what it was. The chocolate and tea really harmonized for a subtler flavor than I usually appreciate but this time thought was excellent.

Origines Cacao, Forêt Noire

As a substitute for a superb shop that Origines Cacao is challenging, I got another cake from there. This time I really did rest from running by going by bicycle, which is not much of a workout. I should have done indoor exercises too, but I was too hungry. There were only three regular kinds of cake left and some glass desserts that might qualify as verrines, but I did not need to go there as I've never had their standard Forêt Noire, because I don't generally like forêt-noires (Black Forest cake). However, I found that it's not actually a forêt-noire, its just chocolate cake with lots of cream and chocolate cream, which is really weird (the name refers to the the cherry liquor that this doesn't), though only the same way that "short cake" isn't made with short cake, though that's true in my American cookbook as well. It's a simple cake, and cheap (only 400 yen), but good. Origines Cacao has enough of a history of great cakes (all but one never seen again) that it remains at the top of the quite exceptional shops, scoring above all the superb shops, but based on a lot fewer cakes (always an advantage).

Origines Cacao, Saint Honoré Pistache Framboise

Finally got over to Ginza 6 to visit Origines Cacao and get a new cake from them. This falls under new cakes from superb shops, because right now Origines Cacao is a candidate, but based on less than half the cakes I've sampled from the current list, so it's going to be a long process to make the leap.

To day and walked and ran (in 4 min intervals, 6 total of the running) and got the Saint Honoré Pistache Framboise, since I like saint-honoré in general and the other one I had from them was excellent. Even with 24 minutes of running, it's a long round trip, taking 1 h 45 min, so maybe tomorrow I'll go to a shop by bicycle, even though that's also my plan for Thursday.

I'll also rate this as excellent. The pistachio and raspberry harmonized well and the choux pastry provided texture to contrast the cream. Definitely much better than the last saint-honoré  I had from a different shop.

Origines Cacao: Printemps

Under my reorganized rating system, Origines Cacao is the top of the quite excellent shops, which now are above the superb shops, though based on fewer cakes (it the advantage of having had several great cakes that never got a chance to disappoint me since they haven't been available again), so I'm not included to immediately move any shops, just I wouldn't otherwise have been ready to get another cake from this shop. Tuesday, they had three cakes I haven't had before (and it seemed to be the full line-up). I chose the newest seasonal cake, since it appealed most, Printemps. It didn't travel well by bicycle, but it mostly survived. Like Sunday's cake, it was a mixture of different textures encircled by a shell that had to be cut. Sometime I'm going to try heating the knife to see how that works out (I also want to cut up the macaron, which was really nice separately, and mix it in). This is red fruit and pistachio, though not overpowering in either among cream and firmer parts inside (I didn't read that far down on the description), so it lives up well to the name "spring", as in the first appearance of a freshness. I'm going to say that it's good enough to be called great, though that needs testing, which now I plan to do this weekend (though I still need to verify that Hilltop allows take-out, which I failed to ask when I was just there yesterday.

Cake-off: Paris S'éveille's Saint Honoré Caramel over Origines Cacao's Tarte Caramel Chocolat

Started off trying to get a cake from JPH at Isetan for a cake-off, but they've changed the line-up mid-February, despite what I was told in January. Unfortunately, the change doesn't bring back one that I was looking for, but I'm not sure how stable the line-up is now, so I should probably check to see whether they slip anything else in in coming weeks before the text announced change (Tonka remains).

I stuck with my plan for the other cake in the cake-off, the Paris S'éveille's Saint Honoré Caramel. On the way, I dropped by the Tokyo Mid-Town JPH, just in case they had it (that was where they told me, after a long search through records, that it would be around until Feb. 28), they had switched the line-up there too. I also stopped at the chocolate shop Chapon and saw that that it had some café customers, so I guess they're okay. For the Paris S. cake, it's hard to get because they make it in the afternoon (when I asked once, they said could get it it 1 pm, but it seemed like even that was hurrying things), apparently. This time I was there just after 14:00, and there were a couple left, so they don't seem excited about making a lot of them. For convenience, I went to the opposite end of the shopping area there in Jiyuugaoka and got the Tarte Caramel Chocolat from Origines Cacao.

I was not thinking ahead of time that I wanted to compare two caramel cakes, but that's the way it turned out. It took a little bit to recognize the greatness, but I definitely got there with Saint Honoré Caramel by half way through. Usually I can judge each cake on its merits, but I think the fact that I had the saint honoré Caramel meant that it was harder to appreciate the Tarte Caramel Chocolat. It's definitely excellent, but I didn't feel that the chocolate was especially complementary to the caramel, whereas the small amount of nuts with the saint honoré were. I just don't need the former if I have the latter. However, the tart won its previous round, so it will get another chance in the third round. So the Saint Honoré Caramel gets its second cake-off win in a row and I'll probably get to its third round within the next month or so. As far as a follow-up to Paris S., I was one cake ahead (some weekend when I didn't have another distance shop in mind) already, and the three untested cakes  I saw today were all coffee-flavored, so I think I'll wait a while.

Origines Cacao: Tarte Marron

I owed Origines Cacao a cake from it's cake-off win Friday, so Tuesday I went to Ginza 6 and got the Tarte Marron and ran it home. It's a good butter tart base with a mont-blanc-type top, but with peanuts and cocoa powder sprinkled over it, I think. It was definitely good all around and I don't have any suggestion to improve it; also, the quality was high and I was not disappointed, but it isn't actually a cake that really interests me. I'll give it the rare semi-excellent rating.

Cake-off: Origines Cacao's Tarte Caramel Chocolat over Frédéric Cassel's Mille-feuille Finger Kaki

Friday, which was Labor Thanksgiving Day, I was free most of the day, so I took a long run, which ended up as 3.50 hours of running, which is the longest for a while. There was some walking and several photography stops, plus 4 snack, but most of it was a one-way neighborhood course run, so not a lot of waiting at lights until the end, when I headed from near the US Embassy to Ginza.

I did a lot of loops together, so it took so long. On the way, I headed down to Roppongi 7 again, because I had forgotten to verify a shrine. On the way back, I stopped at Mercedes Me, which is a café at the Mercedes dealer across from Tokyo Midtown, for the first snack. I got their Pain aux Raisins, which was good, though on the dry side.

Once  I got back to the main route, I could do the newly added Akasaka 8 loop, added to pick up a little park on the corner next to the elementary school. There is also a cake shop on the north end, but I think I went in too early (though the door was open), as there was nothing on display at all except samples of top designs. It's a place for decorator cakes, so I don't know yet whether they have anything ready to eat, though it's also a café, or whatever the guy there can manage, looked like. I also reconfirmed that I know the Akasaka 7 loop. Together they form a sort of shortcut across the main Akasaka-Azabudai-Roppongi-Toranomon loop, though that day I was doing the full loops back to where I started and didn't want to run twice over the same part of a loop, so I stuck to the main loop. I also reconfirmed the Motoaksaka loop and took the link up along the Akasaka Palace grounds to visit the Yotsuya East loop, though I was blocked by people directing traffic for people visiting the palace, so that part wouldn't be allowed by my rules if they were normally there. From there, I did the Akasaka 3 loop, and then over to the Nagatachou loop (though I had to double back to fix an error on the far side of the loop, since I turned to soon). From there, I went up north and did the Hirakawachou-Kioichou loop and took the long detour around Sophia University to get to my tiny Koujimachi loop, which is the farthest out on the course of the places I visited, so it's definitely out of order in terms of distance but was convenient to the other loops I was doing. After returning to Akasaka, I followed the main course down to the final loop to confirm, what I call the Akasaka east loop, which is just north of the U.S. Embassy Tokyo.

On the way there, I stopped at the Pierre Gagnaire shop and got a Pain au Chocolat. To be honest, I had eaten most of it before realizing it (because I was thinking of something else, not because I wolfed it down, which would have made quite a mess, since it had fairly delicate layering). But I'm fairly sure that it was excellent, which is why I wasn't thinking so much about it.

From there, I ran to Ginza, got my cakes, and returned home by train. I was tired, so after I organized them on the plate, my hands weren't too steady and there was an accident, so no pictures. Some caramel was lost, but I was still able to do the first-round cake-off for these too recently tried cakes and declare that I like the caramel chocolate tart best, though in my condition I was noticing that I could have used a higher drink-to-sugar ratio.

Origines Cacao, Tarte Caramel Chocolat

I'm so behind on blogging because the giant loop in the west end of my neighborhood running map has be completely reorganizing it, which has taken days. I've at least done enough to make it usable for picking out targets, at least, though I'm still also way behind on uploading photos.

Way back on Tuesday, because all the higher priority shops either did not have anything new or I had visited within the last month, I went ran out to Origines Cacao at Ginza 6 for new cake. The Tarte Caramel Chocolat is at least temporarily back in the line-up, so I got that. I've never had it before, but it seemed similar to more than one great cakes I've gotten there (and not seen since). I was rewarded by a great cake, well balanced against caramel and chocolate, which harmonized well together. The fact that I wanted a new great cake for the next cake-off might have affected my judgement, but I hope not. I should say that I haven't confirmed yet whether I have the name correct, or it's actually Tarte Chocolat Caramel, not that that matters.

Origines Cacao, Saint-Honoré Passion Coco

Did a run to Ginza 6 and got my eleventh (type of) Origines Cacao cake. This is maybe the first time that I've bought from them at Ginza 6, though I bought several mostly great cakes from the closed Nihonbashi store (not sure why I've never seen those great cakes since; have to wonder if someone quit at the same time).

Anyway, very unstable weather today but there was only a little rain while I was out. It was fairly hot (close to 30 degC) and quite humid, so I didn't push it that hard, though I did run most of the way back (I stopped a Marusho for groceries and walked after that).

Like with éclairs, I seem to appreciate fruit flavors with saint-honorés more than with other types of cake. This was passion fruit and coconut, of course, but also mango. Definitely excellent.