Research run around Tokyo Station:

Today was a no-cake day to make up for yesterday's cake-off, so I did some research around Tokyo station: Marunouchi Jean-Paul Hévin to Viron (where they do have their chocolate cake that I might need for the next cake-off) to the new Kyobashi Toshi Yoroizuka, to Ginza Mitsukoshi to Le Chocolat de H, where I got a Vanille (a vanilla macaron; 250 yen), because I couldn't remember which chocolate macaron I had had before. Total run was about 12 km (I ended at the Lawson 100 to top-up on tofu and yogurt) averaging 11 km/h.

The macaron was excellent. It's on the small side and a little on the dry, hard side in the sense that the outside has a crispness but the center still has some softness. I prefer this type to ones that are allowed to get really soft throughout.

Walking to Frédéric Cassel, macarons

Walked to Frédéric Cassel, again in on again off again typhoon rain (tail end, or maybe the next typhoon). My goal was their vanilla mille feuille just mentioned on the website (not the seasonal "inspiration" finger version), or macarons if not. I was so focused on that, that I missed that they actually had another cake I could have gotten until after ordering one each of Macaron Vanille and Macaron Chocolat for 260 yen each. Now, I'm too used to my chewy homemade ones (probably I should bake them less, but I'm still working on other problems to spend time experimenting with that), so while these soft ones were good, I'd rather get chocolates there next, if I don't get cake.

On the walking side, I did 10 km, with the first at 6 km/h and then the rest at my target 5 km/h (distance over speed).

The cake I didn't get was over 1000 yen though, for a single-serving-sized "ruby" chestnut tartlet, which requires mental preparation. I think I'm there now, but I wouldn't have wanted to carry it home walking in the rain, and I'd rather share it.

Dalloyau: Charme

Walked a little too fast but maybe closer to 5 km/h than 6 km/m to Dalloyau for Charme for 486 yen (so no stamp in my Carte de fidélité). It's strawberry and whipped cream on top, which is a turn off and why I never got to this previously. Then dacquoise, vanilla cream, strawberry gelatin, vanilla cream, and dacquoise. This gel is good = not gummy. This is not my favorite thing, but it does what it does well and I appreciate diversity. It would be worth learning to make for someone else, so I'm rating it excellent. Sorry, forgot to take picture of shop.

For research purposes, got a Chocolat Noir macaron (250 yen) from Le Chocolat de H one street over. I wish I could get half that much foot, but the texture is not completely different from my last effort. Need longer drying and less baking, maybe. Mixing might have been okay.

And a chocolate filled donut-type oily sugar bomb （Beignet Chocolat Noisette?) from Paul at Yotsuya Station (324 yen). Long time since I've seen the Beignet Chocolat. Not sure that the nuts are fooling anyone, but I still find it hard to resist, at least once in a while.