L'Abricotier, J'Adore le Chocolat

Over the weekend, when I was at L'Abricotier, I picked up a new cake in response to a previous cake-off win (not in anticipation of the win this weekend). I'm not completely sure of the exact name, but a reasonable guess is J'Adore le Chocolat. Lots of nice textures and rich chocolate, so I can say it's excellent. This shop is near the top of the quite exceptional shops, jockeying with another shop, but challenging Viron when it slips but so far haven't been able to overtake it. I guess the point is that I expect excellent cake from there but also that I'm already a little ahead of visiting them so I probably won't try to get another new cake soon, despite the last cake-off win, though maybe if they come to Isetan in the spring.

L'Abricotier, Duja Orange

 I wasn't intentionally being greedy, just sticking to plan and went to L'Abricotier for the new cake they should have gotten before the last Viron cake. It's only another 8 km after 5 km to Ginza, so less of a daily run than the previous day so I was expecting to come up empty and have to go on to Yu Sasage, which I assume would be as far, but actually there were two new cakes to choose from. For today, I skipped the raspberry chocolate cake and took the Duja Orange. This shop is big on pairing nutty with fruit, so even though orange is a difficult fruit, I was interested in how it would pair with Gianduja (chocolate and hazelnut). Once again, I got lost on the trains, so it took twice as long as it should have to get back. I liked this cake, which I can say is definitely excellent. Mainly, I like the Gianduja cut with enough other stuff not to be too strong, though maybe orange isn't the perfect fruit.

L'Abricotier, Choux a la Crème

Wednesday, I hit L'Abricotier for a new cake, since they are challenging the bottom of the superb shop category (taking turns with two other quite exceptional shops). I've run out of regular cakes that are coffee-based, so I went with Choux a la Crème. These are cheap (which should have told me something), so I got three, being equal to about one piece of cake, though as it turned out, I didn't need so many. Based on previous experience, after walking there, I ran the whole way home, since that's easier on at least certain parts of my body than walking.

These are the kind studded with nuts, which haven't been my favorite in the bast. It's a relatively solid pastry. Custard is fine, but nothing special, so this get's marked as good, and L'Abricotier loses it's place as top of the quite exception group again.

L'Abricotier, Fraisier

Sunday, my goal was just one cake, since I knew I'd have the coming Wednesday off, so I could get one cake during the week. As a challenger for promotion to superb, I got a 24th new cake from L'Abricotier; learning somewhat from the day before, I ran there and mostly walked it back, so it was mostly in good shape. Really, I need to walk my cakes back or use the trains (which are pretty empty these days, so they feel pretty safe, but I should still walk if I can) to maintain photo quality. This was another one of those I-can't-believe-I-haven't-had-this-yet cakes. It's a standard cake various places. On one hand, it's just a way to eat custard and strawberries in cake form, but on the other hand, there isn't anything wrong with that in principle, and I had to admit at the end that it was excellent. Still not the first thing I would go for elsewhere, but I respect it as a reliable standard.

The afternoon was me exploring/practicing the revised neighborhood course around Daikanyama, where there were way too many people out on the north side for a state of emergency, including a pack of about 7 elementary school kids, a procession of three foreign teens girls on bikes without masks, and a lot of people at the restaurants by the main area video/bookstore. I think I'll choose a different time of day than lunch time next time I run through there.

L'Abricotier, Dulcey

Sunday was lots a bicycling to hit a wide spread of shops. I think I ran in the evening, but it's been a while, so I don't actually remember. If I did, it would be neighborhood courses, getting my memory of the revised loops and their clumps confirmed. Anyway, I was busy in the morning, so it was a late start, about 11:30. First I went to L'Abricotier, since are the top challenger to Pierre Hermé, plus they're open. This time I got Dulcey. I did a search on my phone there, because I was surprised that I had no record of having had this cake before, but I believe it now. It's been a standard as long as I can remember. I've avoided until now because the main feature is banana, which doesn't impress me, though as I think about cakes I've had, there have only been a few banana ones and only one that would put me off them as a whole (banana and chocolate). Anyway, there were probably other flavors, and the typical banana flavor was not strong, which suited me, but it was certainly sweet in a fruity way. I'm surprised, but in the end I have to say this was excellent, so they remember a challenger to moving up a spot. 

L'Abricotier, Oriental

As a second shop and a reason to keep running on Sunday, once Rue de Passy had secured its place among the exceptional shops, it meant I knew which shop was facing the chop, so I didn't have to visit the bottom shop of the group. In stead, I went to the top of the quite exceptional group, L'Abricotier, to allow them to challenge the group above. It's about 10 km from Rue de Passy to L'Abricotier, so it wasn't the easy choice for running, and I was tired enough after I got there, having done 3 hours of running Saturday, that I knew I was going to take my cake home by train, unless I could eat in. However, they were quite busy and all seats were full, but I preferred to have lunch at home first anyway, so I wasn't disappointed. I though I'd have to go with cream puffs, but actually they were sold out and there were two other cakes I haven't had, though I've seen their strawberry tart before, so I surprised I hadn't had it yet. However, I went with Oriental, which is mikan/tangerine  and chestnut with a chocolate base, which sounded interesting at least. Interest I might have been, but I can't say that the combination worked for me. It wasn't poorly made though, and it was as promised, so I can say that it was good. Maybe someone who likes mikan or chestnut more than I would appreciate this more. I've gotten a few cakes ahead with L'Abricotier, so it might have to wait awhile for me trying to get another new cake.

L'Abricotier: Pomme Caramel

Eighth try at the Daita--Daizawa--Hatagaya--Kamiyama-chou--Kitazawa--Motoyoyogi-chou--Nishihara--Ooyama-chou--Shouto--Tomigaya--Uehara loop counterclockwise got me another 800 meters farther before failure (turned one street to early). Also, I could include two revisions since the last run, no problem.

Decided that it was easier to go straight to L'Abricotier (chosen because they are challenging the bottom of the Superb group) rather than run home and then go by bicycle. It was still a little under 7 km after almost 3 hours of running, but I walked much of it (though I also didn't take the shortest, 7 km path, because I wanted to pick up some photos).

Today's new cake was Pomme Caramel, which uses green apple mousse. It was definitely good, but this layered cube cake was hard to eat with a fork (at home, I'm used to using a knife). I suppose I need to practice.