Rue de Passy, Chocolat Pistache

When they didn't have the great cake I wanted for a cake-off two Saturday's back, not to waste the trip at a time with fewer opportunities to get cake, I choose the Chocolat Pistache, on the reasoning that the other best cake I've had from there was this combination. This was a more traditional cake, though, and was maybe cream rather than ganache, so I should have eaten it at a warmer temperature. Actually, this combination is tricky, as while pistachio can accent chocolate, the latter has a strong taste that doesn't benefit from being diluted or give way to other flavors easily, so I didn't really feel like this harmonized the best, though it was still good.

Happily, I did much better on Sunday for a cake-off, which I failed to photograph, apparently. The cake-off was a third round between two cakes from the double-loser's bracket, between Pistache Chocolat from Coffee Parlor Hilltop and Concert from Lenôtre. I learned from Saturday's mistake and let the Pistache Chocolat sit out for 5 minutes from the refrigerator. It was definitely great and the light pistachio and chocolate taste was harmonizing well, though it still lost to the chocolate simplicity of Concert.

While I was at Ginza Mitsukoshi, visited Johan and got a pastry (which used to be my favor pastry source when they were in Shinjuku). Ig to the Kouign Amann. This seems to be the traditional shape, which is not my favorite, but I felt that I was recognizing it's good points finally, as this was excellent.

Cake-off: Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier over Coffee Parlor Hilltop's Pistache Chocolat

Somewhat according to plan, I walked to Coffee Parlor Hilltop again to get Pistache Chocolat, though this time a little after noon, so it seemed a least a couple sold before me, but no problem getting mine. My purpose of being in a hurry was only secondarily because I'll be busy next weekend and they will close for renovation soon after that. It's been a year since I had Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier (which I need to go back to old posts and correct the spelling of throughout, now that I'm decided) and I'm not confident I'll find something else to pair it with for a second-round match of first-round losers. Took a few pictures along the way for future expansions of the neighborhood running course, though I didn't do any reviewing today, since I was so tired yesterday and didn't get a lot else done all day (was slightly more productive today).

Had a little trouble with this cake-off. I only had a half-lunch, and yet late, but toward the end of the cake testing, I think I got full, or at least something upset my stomach. Suddenly the chocolate in the Pistache Chocolat was overly strong and disagreeing with me. It's possible that someone changed the recipe, but not likely. Before that, I had already decided on the Fraisier, which is simple but has the quality to pull it off. I'll give the Pistache Chocolat the benefit of the doubt and all it excellent, so it will stay on the great list but have to prove itself in the third round (which I'll leave for December or next year).

Cake-off: Origines Cacao's Printemps over Coffee Parlor Hilltop's Pistache Chocolat

Thursday, I took the afternoon off and first went to Isetan early enough that their Croissant Chocolat was not sold out. It was excellent. It is not sweet, but more a burnt (maybe literally) chocolate taste, which I approve of. Definitely better than average as a croissant. In news, there is a cake and a "parfait" that has cake elements enough that I'm interested, more than the average verrine, which I've grouped with fresh cakes. They limited to through Golden Week (and the parfait is only after 2 pm), so I'll have to act fast. No cake planned for tomorrow, saving it for Saturday. Since I've busy over golden week, I might try to fit in two cake-offs over the weekend to deal with seasonal cakes/shops. It depends on how the first cake-off goes. My bicycling for the day confirmed availability from the cake I wanted for take-out from the Coffee Parlor Hilltop and then I briefly tried to do the Akasaka--Azabudai--Roppongi--Toranomon loop but failed almost immediately. I didn't realize immediately, but I failed again later on more obviously, so I went hope to review.

Friday, I got another pastry, this time Croissant d'Almonde from Christa. It was definitely good but not really so different from most. I tried the Akasaka--Azabudai--Roppongi--Toranomon loop again but got confused once I had to cross the Roppongi-doori, since I guessed incorrectly whether I would stay on the bridge (if I had been on foot instead on a bicycle) and continue on to cross Azabu-doori, which I should have. It's coming back around that I need to cross in stages.

Saturday, I finally got cake again, making up for the two previous days by getting two for a cake-off. For the first one, I tried walking to Coffee Parlor Hilltop, and my feet seem okay, so that's huge progress. I'll maybe try running longer than enough to make the light next week. I was there at opening time (no line, but someone came in immediately after me). I got the Pistache Chocolat to go. Then I used Marunouchi Line to go to Ginza 6 to get Printemps from Origines Cacao and then I went home by train. I still found that the raspberry rolled off the Printemps, but it was in better shape generally than last time by bicycle.

These are both recent cakes that I worried I might have labeled as great without sufficient cause, but the first result of this first-round cake-off is that I still feel that both bring something special, so they pass that hurtle. I felt like Printemps brought slightly more complexity, or maybe I was just enjoying the white chocolate more, so it gets the win. Printemps is obviously a seasonal cake, but it's relatively recent, so I hope it can stick around a couple weeks to get in a second-round at least. I know Pistache Chocolat, and anyway F Cassel has a cake that has been waiting for an opponent and it lost its first-round, so I'm planning to do another cake-off tomorrow (so no cake-off next Saturday) for those two. I'm sure Hilltop will think it same to see me again for the same cake, but so it goes. I might manage fourth new cake them before they close, but really, except for that, three other shops would be my priority, and I wouldn't get back there next week in time.

For further exercise, I made my third attempt at the Akasaka--Azabudai--Roppongi--Toranomon loop and finally got it (as well as reviewing after two previous attempt, the sun up was probably helpful, though it still took a long time to find a way of crossing by bicycle as easily as the main bridge. A couple coffee shops are gone, but I added a couple Japanese confectionery shops.

Coffee Parlor Hilltop: Pistache Chocolat & Savarin

No running today, or any time next week. I'll be happy when walking is more pleasant. Still, life goes on, and I had an excuse be out toward Ochanomizu, so I visited Coffee Parlor Hill Top for lunch. This came to my attention from an NHK problem, which is a better commendation than simply being in the neighborhood, though there are still some good prospects there. The lunch was fine, but I don't feel a need to blog it---Expensive, in a nice atmosphere. The place is old, so I guess it will be closed down temporarily, something like May to November, but I'm not sure of the exact dates now. For desert, there were two cake sets. I wanted Pistache Chocolat, so I ate most of that one, but had about half of the Savarin as well.

The Pistache Chocolat also has a some strawberry, which should not be ignored. Slicing the strawberry was a good idea I haven't seen in a similar cake (and I'll do more now at home, where I have a knife). This is pistachio whipped cream, I think, over chocolate mousse, cake, and crunchy bottom. It's not really stable, so really it should be removed from it's plastic base and laid on its side. They certainly shouldn't present it to customers with the plastic wrap still on it, I should think. They need to work on their presentation. As cake, though, it was simple and yet well balanced, rather sweet, but that worked for me. Perhaps out of perversity, because in my condition and the condition of the shop, it's hard to get back there, I'll say it was great. Of course, if I said it was excellent, I would still want to get back there as I collect third cakes from quite good shops, but I have a higher priority now. If I find another great cake, I can do a cake-off with it, but it will have to be see. We'll see what cake JPH introduces next month.

The Savarin was heavy on citrus but I couldn't taste any alcohol at all, so maybe no rum. It was still good but not my kind of thing, nor are verrine generally. Under the new rating system, one just good cake is not a big deal (I always assume the five more good cakes in the pool when estimating my chance of getting a great cake next).