Cake-off: Jean-Paul Hévin's Mille-Feuille Chocolat over Pierre Gagnaire's Finger Ruby Fig Framboise

Tomida Farm Black Fig Tart

I finally had the cake-off that I've been looking forward to for almost two months: a second-round match for Jean-Paul Hévin's Mille-Feuille Chocolat, which is available just the second half of October. It lost its first round, so I needed someone from the losers bracket. Fortunately, I was able to get one available two weeks ago in the form of Pierre Gagnaire's Finger Ruby Fig Framboise (according to the I saw today). I ran for the first cake. I had brought an insulated bag, but they use such large boxes that it was not enough. I remember that there was one place like that, but not which one. I went directly from there running to Ginza Mitsukoshi, arriving a little before opening. I wasn't at the front, but I was the first one through the desert section, which was awkward, given my attire and that each group of attendants have to greet me. JPH is in the back, in their own glass-walled room. The mille-feuille was available, as promised. On the way back, I was walking past Frédéric Cassel and saw that their fig tart I had just seen advertised was bakery type rather than cake. I had planned to get a pastry during my run but this seemed like a better option, so I turned and bought the Tomida Farm Black Fig Tart. Turning, I think someone said, "As expected", as they thought I was there for that, though I had passed them initially. I had seen the social media post, though, so I recognized it, just it was on top rather than in the cake case and they recommended heating it up "a little" (they checked, but they didn't have any more precise information). I tried 2.5 min at 100 degC, which seemed reasonable and warmed it without destroying it. It was excellent, as I would expected.

Running, I tried to do the

neighborhood course Daita--Daizawa--Hatagaya--Kamiyama-chou--Kitazawa--Motoyoyogi-chou--Nishihara--Ooyama-chou--Shouto--Tomigaya--Uehara loop, but I hadn't reviewed it the night before (if I really knew it, I shouldn't have to). I got farther than last time, but I had changed part and though I remembered why and where to turn initially, and then where I logically had to go next, I wasn't sure how to get back on the old track, so the run out ended after Mister Donut Shimokitazawa. Like last time, I took that as an excuse to turn home. I went by the shortest route, and ran into a shrine I hadn't known about between where I screwed up this time and where I did the previous time, so the map is changing again. Hope I can remember later this time, or at least remember to check the map the night before (on the day would be against the rules).

Just before failure,

I had bought a France Croissant from Chez Lui. Not sure about the name, but it's their #1 item, supposedly, and it looked sufficiently sugared to be preferable to a real croissant. I hadn't packed enough energy cookies for the run, or this would have been one pastry more than I had intended for the week. I deviated coming back to take some pictures of sites on more nearby loops, or confirm that the site was not needed (in one case).

For the cake off, I'm still having trouble with the strong fruitiness of the Finger Ruby Fig Framboise, despite at the same time wanting to keep it around for its distinctiveness. The mixture of mille-feuille and high-quality chocolate made be choose JPH's cake as the winner, so I definitely want to do another cake-off with it next weekend, this time a third-round for cakes that are one and one. There's a seasonal Frédéric Cassel cake that meets that criterion.

Cycling to Rue de Passy and Fraoula

I was late, and arrived at Ryoco at 10:45 so there was a huge line. I was reminded of Hidemi Sugino in Kyoubashi (north of Ginza), which is a rightly famous cake shop/cafe that I have not listed as great, partially because of the bother of lining up there and partly because their fruity mousse cakes are not my highest interest (although I'm talking myself in to going there). Anyway, I'll try again when I can go early enough to get cake in under an hour and probably also get at least two pieces for my trouble.

I went west next, as planned, to Rue de Passy and got their new Galaxy for 518 yen. It is a mousse dome. There is a base of milk chocolate ganache, a couple millimeters of chocolate (maybe) cake on next, then a dome of praline mousse with fruit, a covering of chocolate, and a few more pieces of fruit and other bits as you can see. The fruit was apple and pineapple compote, although I'm not sure which was which. Maybe the pineapple was the tiny hardish pieces on the outside and the apple was the fruit inside (it was a fairly small amount). It was a good balance all around, except it was a little too sweet and candy-like for me. Maybe I should have eaten in with tea. Given how bad the mosquitoes were in the park I tried, I wish I had used their cafe. I think I'll go back to considering this shop as very good and not give it further special attention.

I next, by an unintentionally long route, went to Fraoula, where I got the new Fig Tart. This was 518 yen. It is very good. You can see that it is slices of fig on a custard tart, or at least something in that family. Probably a good compliment for the Galaxy, but not really trying to be great. I also got La Boule, which is not cake, so no picture, but is a 4 cm sphere of sweet bread, for 108 yen; it was very nice and I'll continue sampling their their baked goods. 

Was quite tired later and needed a nap. I shouldn't be doing another long run this Wednesday---once a week would be more than enough---although I might try something special, like going out to Bigarreaux, to see what they have that I haven't tried. I'll need to get more done at home before then, though. At least the dishes aren't piling up, the mail is a little better dealt with, and three loads of washing got done. Also, I have ingredients for a big pot of curry and another version of cheesecake tarts.

Il Fait Jour (at Isetan): Fig tart

When I was out shopping for bread for dinner and ingredients for baking (the trick is to find reasonable butter, since the Japan butter shortage continues), I got a Fig tart from Il Fair Jour, who are the visiting shop at Shinjuku Isetan. I had forgotten that I had not visited them, because they are in Kanagawa (not counting one inside the gates at a train station; update: not true, as they are outside the gates). The tart was very good. Actually they were within a few kilometers of where I went last week (P. Partage) and where I plan to go next week (P. Etienne), so the challenge will be to come up with a good route, when the time comes.

Cycle Sunday May 31

Today, I decided to go to Ryoco, which is in Shirokanedai, in Minato Ward (港区). I got the below fig tart (イチジクのタルト) for 640 yen because I think that I haven't had it before. Of course, it was very good. Ryoco is the best place I know in that area (the south of inside the Yamanote loop), although there a branches of good places near Ebisu and Meguro stations. The tart has an about-1-cm-thick solid but not hard tart base. I'm guessing that there is some egg in there, to get that texture, but I don't have enough cooking experience to know. That's something I need to work on, but I'm busy running and such. Then creamy custard on top and finally the fruit.

Outside the Yamanote loop on the east side, the canals are not so clean. I decided to try going south first and then cutting over west, but got lost a lot and it's not that great as far as scenery, so I don't think I'll change my standard route to Meguro.

Of course, the goal in going west was to got back to Jiyuugaoka. This time I visited Origines Cacao, another great shop. Below, is what I ordered: the Martinique (マルティニック) for 484 yen. As the raisins on top give away, this is for adults. The bottom is a thin tart shell with rum raisin vanilla cream. On top is a chocolate Chiboust (チョコレートのシブースト), which means I don't no what, since Chiboust is just the name of a famous French chef. Anyway, it is very soft but had a slight granularity to it: the moistness is clustered in grains, not surrounding bubbles, like a mousse, or simply creamy. I was not surprised that it was great.

Lastly, the sad little heart below, who rode in my basket home. It's name is Puchi coeur ("little heart", プチクール) from Avançons next to Takadanobaba Station (高田馬場駅) for I don't know how much (the receipt has gone missing), but not so much: maybe 440 yen. As I should have guessed, it is mainly chocolate mousse (they told me vanilla, but that's just about 10% in the middle). Chocolate mousse and I are still not getting along, but at least I confirmed that they do have a decent selection of cakes if you go earlier. Since it was recommended to me personally, I'll try again. Fourth time's the charm?