Cake-off: Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier over Pierre Gagnaire's Mousse au Chocolat et Yuzu

Having starting working through the two-and-two cake-off great cakes for fifth-round cake-offs and noticing the appearance of Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier, I worked it in. Also back, was Mousse au Chocolat et Yuzu by Pierre Gagnaire. The latter is a unique taste, but that wasn't enough to overcome my love of pistachio, at least when presented well, so the win went to Fraisier.
 

Cake-off: Jean-Paul Hévin's Guayaquil over Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier

Ginza Mitsukoshi with a line before the start.

Did a shared cake-off last Sunday, so I was basing on half a cake, which probably matters, but is not so important. This top it was cakes from the top two cake shops, both a Ginza Mitsukoshi, and both newly available again, though they were still on short hours that weekend.

Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier was the seasonal priority, whereas Jean-Paul Hévin's Guayaquil is their main chocolate cake, and always available. As far as cake-offs go, this is a fourth round, with both of these having lost one of three. Great cakes, but I really like the strong chocolate taste of Guayaquil. Wish I had a little more, because there was something about the texture that I was noticing---I might get this again this year just to do some temperature experiments, since I'm due for another cake from them, and they don't even have excellent cakes that I haven't had twice yet.

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.

Cake-off: Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier over Éclat des Jours' Cheminée

On the 9th day of GW, I did a cake-off. I missed the window on the seasonal Origines Cacao cake, but Frédéric Cassel still had their Fraisier so I did a third round of cakes that were 1-1. Next in the list was Éclat des Jours' Cheminée, which is conveniently on the same side of town. Usually I would go get the latter first, since it's farther away, but I wanted to double-check Origines Cacao, so I also confirmed Frédéric Cassel (since Ginza 6 does not have bicycle parking) and then decided that I might as well get the Fraisier first, since it also seemed like a more robust cake than the Cheminée anyway. It's warm now. I'm hoping I can recover enough by the time it's hot so that I can at least walk to cake shops and take the train back for cake-offs. In the photo, I was able to turn the less well preserved parts of the Cheminée toward the back. The Fraisier is a milder cake, but suited me today: pistachio cream accented by strawberries (which I don't hate). The Cheminée is a pretty strong fruity chocolate ganache (?), which I certainly like sometimes and still enjoyed today, but I'm not sure that I need to revisit on a yearly basis, so I'm questioning its need to be on the greats list. It's not going to get axed this year, but I am giving Fraisier the win, its second in a row. Now I'm really behind on visiting FC for new cake. I'd choose the chocolate and hazelnut mille-feuille, but it's weekend-only, so the window is closed. Still, I'm much further behind on Sadaharu Aoki, since they introduce new cakes much less frequently, so I'll probably get there first (the seasonal cakes were announced to end with GW, so maybe there will be something new on Tuesday).

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 fail: Fraisier and Rhône-Alpes

I got Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier on its last day (they volunteered, since I keep asking for it even when its not in display, now that I've learned that they keep things in the back for later) but made the mistake of getting Rhône-Alpes from Amitié. Early on in the first round (I'm not sure when I stopped, but certain by early this year), I only removed things from the great list if my next evaluation was only Good. Cakes who got a second evaluation of Excellent, got marked as Semigreat and kept. This was one of those, so I'm not going to count it. I'm willing to call it excellent, but I'm just not that interested in classic chocolate cake, with sponge and fronting layers, with or without whipped cream on top. So I'll just have to watch for Fraisier to show up again, hopefully next year, to do its second round. Still, I got to eat some excellent a great cake, so I'm not too disappointed.

Cake-off: Éclat des Jours's Baked Cheesecake over Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier

The previous Friday, I tried to get a pastry from The Baked (or maybe that was Thursday, as I seemed to have failed to get anything that day), but they were sold out (or maybe they just don't sell pastries at night, which is reasonable). I was practicing my southwest Shibuya course, so I hit the next shop on that course, which was Chez Lui, which is open late. They had many flavors of canelé, but I went with the plain. This was definitely good, although softer than my preference, but a legitimate choice. I still need to get cake from there sometime.

Saturday, I ran out to finally get Éclat des Jours' Baked Cheesecake for a cake-off as a match against Frédéric Cassel's Fraisier. Even though that latter involves generally more expensive ingredients (pistachio), is bigger, and from a fancier shop, this baked cheesecake is really great, so it takes this first-round cake-off and suddenly I'm extra behind on visiting this shop, who unfortunately have a fairly unvarying line-up.

Frédéric Cassel: Fraisier

It had been a week, so I was back at Frédéric Cassel expecting them not to disappoint. I figured I could use a little rest, so I only ran one way and walked (quickly) back; also, their bags and this cake are more heavy and awkward than average to run with. Actually, I had forgotten about the Fraisier [updated for consistency]; I was just thinking about this month's tart, but there it was, so a bought it as planned last week at least. It's main component is a very dense pistachio cream, which is between almond biscuits and topped with strawberries, obviously. I was hoping for excellent, but this was great. I guess I better change my plans for Saturday and see about confirming a match for this for a cake-off out east (not for this week, since I still want another go at Tonka), but when I next get an opportunity, which will perhaps be at the end of the month, which seemed to be telling me last week would still be within it's run.

Pierre Hermé: Fraisier

 Took a second cake from the pistachio and strawberry series at Pierre Hermé at Isetan (but not on the Pierre Hermé webpage, since this isn't this month's featured combination), the Fraisier, which is strawberries in pistachio custard creme, I think, between top and bottom layers of genoise (a sponge cake layer). It was definitely good and I like these flavors, but it was (by design) a higher proportion of fruit than I like in cake, so I can't rate it higher than that as far as my personal appreciation. It's also definitely high quality, so go for it if you're into this sort of cake and passing by the main Isetan store.

For running, I did a light jog in order to avoid slipping on ice as well as to protect myself generally in preparation for doing a long run Sunday. Besides my body and the weather, I have to worry about the Shinjuku City Half Marathon, which is the same morning. It's mostly on main roads that I'm not so much on, but I'm kind of surrounded at the beginning and it would better if I could get up really early and get the Yotsuya and north Sedagaya-Shinjuku parts out of the way before they start.

Today, I just ran down to the United Church of Christ in Japan Akasaka Church to make sure that I can recognize the turns around there, since that was the main part I had trouble with on that loop, and came back. Still, that took more than 50 minutes, even stopping early at the grocery. I'll have the chance to confirm some other portion Friday night, if I want, but I might just rest up, since I would like to run Saturday to Jiyugaoka for a cake-off purchase.

Sadaharu Aoki: Fraisier

Still feeling like I have a head cold, so no running. And it makes me so hungry, which means I can't bake anything, because I'll just eat all of it.

Today, I got cake from Sadaharu Aoki, the seasonal Fraisier, which is, I think, strawberries in custard sandwiched between meringue (update, I think it was actually dacquoise) biscuits. It was more strawberries than I knew I needed like, but I figured I should get at least one of these seasonal cakes this year from them (they have a couple strawberry tarts, as well). Everything was excellent, though not exciting and at 830 yen, once is probably enough for me.

I still haven't posted on Bamboo (the green tea cake), their cheesecake, or choux à la crème, but the next post will probably be on Pierre Hermé, unless I recover tomorrow and can run Wednesday or Thursday to Ginza.