Cake-off: Jean-Paul Hévin's Macaron Chocolat a l'Ancienne over Pierre Hermé's Fraisier Pistache

Still catching up. I'm pretty sure I slipped in some running Wednesday, just a run on local courses, but I can't remember the details now. Before that, just out shopping, I got a Choco-Fashion from Tully's Coffee, which is just a chain coffee shop. However, it was definitely good, as an old-fashion donut, which is good enough that I should start adding these to my local running map as a snack resource, though I'll skip any that require major adjustments.

Thursday, I definitely did not run, as I woke with a headache and was worried about having caught a cold. I did, however, go to Isetan, where I scored Jean-Paul Hévin's Macaron Chocolat a l'Ancienne and Pierre Hermé's Fraisier Pistache, on the grounds that these both are expected to disappear Jan. 15. I questioned the Macaron Chocolat a l'Ancienne last time. I think I managed to raise the temperature a little bit this time, and enjoyed the chocolate more. I still love the cake base and pistachio of the Fraisier Pistache, but have to admit that I probably put and kept this on the great list just to remind myself of this classic without having to make it myself. It is excellent, but I should consider shortening my list of greats, so it takes a loss and gets a question mark, while Macaron Chocolat a l'Ancienne finally gets a win in its third cake-off round.

Cake-off: Jean-Paul Hévin's Tonka over Pierre Hermé's Fraisier Pistache

Friday, I went down and did the southern half of what I'll call the southwest Shibuya loop, since it goes through more neighborhoods than I want to list here and may expand eventually when I get around to doing the other side of Old Yamanote-Doori. Bubó Barcelona at Ginza Mitsukoshi on Thursdays had croissants, so I stopped by the Jinguumae shop for Friday's pasty, but they had nothing, so I went to my back-up plan of trying another bakery at Toukyuu Food Show, this time Saint-Germain. Not counting donuts, the only pastry that they had was also a croissant, which was what I expected, so I got it. Saying it was ok is being generous. Actually, it only barely had layering, it was pretty bready but dry, and actually it was noticeably stale. I bought it at the end of the day, but if you sell it, I'm going to judge you on it. The run was long, and this was a first time running it and I might have actually gone places I've never been before, though I might not have. I had forgotten that Accueil, who have a separate patisserie further south, have their main café in Ebisunish. Fortunately, my loop already went past it (which is why I noticed it, of course). Long run and pretty much the farthest out by a direct route of the new parts of the map; and there are enough hills that it's going to be tough after 20 km.

Saturday, I was busy part of the morning and rain was forecast for the evening. I still did a cake-off, according to plan, sourced from Isetan, Jean-Paul Hévin's Tonka and Pierre Hermé's Fraisier Pistache. This is the second round for both of these, from the first-round losers. This are both seasonal and from superb shops, so I wanted to get them in before they are gone. There's no announcement on the main webpage for JPH yet, so I assume it's cake at least will make it to the end of the month. These are both cakes I that respect as sophisticated and high in quality. Today, I appreciated the chocolate nibs and dark/burnt flavor of the Tonka, as well and just the general style of this style of JPH's cakes, which is their main one.

Rather than run, I did needed maintenance and a minimum of cleaning and took out the bicycle for the first time this year. I verified that I can still get the baked cheesecake that I want for my next cake-off, which will probably be at the end of the month. I'm not sure whether I'll do an extra one that weekend, but May is also looking busy (but then there are also a lot of holidays, so I actually might work ahead at the beginning, as JPH has a couple more cakes that are available now but maybe not forever that are ready for a second round but I've been busy with other more pressing ones).

Cake-off: L'Abricotier's Sicile over Pierre Hermé's Fraisier Pistache,

I've been busy, so I'm four days behind blogging. Friday was a pastry day. I got a Croissant from La Baguette, which is a Shinjuku neighborhood bakery. It was simple and appropriately priced, but good. The run was back to the Hirakawachou-Kioichou Loop and then the Koujimachi-Kioichou Link on the neighborhood map, which went fine this time, so I don't have to worry about that area, I think.

For Saturday, I couldn't start early but early enough to run to L'Abricotier and get the Sicile (need to correct the spelling on the previous post, based on the current card). I didn't expect or have any problem getting the Fraisier Pistache from Pierre Hermé. They are both great (my tastes haven't changed so much in a few months) and use similar ingredients, but I have to go with the richer more intense Sicile (with mousse and sauce) over the subtler classic of the Fraisier Pistache (with dacquoise and fresh strawberries), so the child in me won over the snob, maybe, but that's okay. I know what I like (well, both, actually, quite a lot).

Pierre Hermé: Fraisier Pistache

Pierre Hermé started their next line-up today. I went to Isetan thinking that they wouldn't anything new to me, since the web page was not updated last night, but it turned out that not only did they have 4 of their next "feature" (based on passion fruit and pineapple), but 4 strawberry ones that I've never gotten around to. The later group is still not on their website, so I might have to update the name later. Fortunately, I could find an old webpage with the full recipe so I know what's in it. The base is "la dacquoise pistache", which I should have recognized immediately, since I've made it (not this well or this particular recipe, as far as I know, but more of as, as a standard type). The cream is "la crème mousseline pistache". I've had much too sweet fruity candy recently, so this sweet but not too sweet strawberry and pistachio dessert had the flavor and the elegance that I've been craving, so it is easy for me to say that it is great. I'm see whether I can get it into a cake-off before it disappears (I let the Tarte Infiniment Mandarin slip away).

The run was similarly informative. I went down to the southwest part of my completely neighborhood map and found that one of the Akasaka loops doesn't work, because there's a signal light in the way of where I need to cross the street, but it was mostly redundant (under looser rules of being across the street from a landmark is close enough) so I deleted it and just had to extend a couple other parts slightly. I'll keep practicing and get it right eventually.

Yu Sasage: Fraisier Pistache

Did a long run, with research and a 7th cake from an excellent shop. The run was okay, at least no problems and most of the navigation went well where expected and no worse than expected where not. Kept a steady speed of 9 km/h over all three legs totaling about 32 km: To Bigarreaux, where I got a great Pain au Raisin (300 yen), very buttery (or maybe it used a lot of egg yoke, as it was very rich);

then to Yu Sasage, and finally home. I was worried for the heat, as it was 25+ deg Celsius but was dressed for it and drank a lot. The cake was definitely good, with the pistachio filling being fairly solid, which was good for the long trip. The fruit dominated, though, and while not bad, were not exciting (you need pretty firm strawberries, but really sweet ones would be very too ripe, perhaps.