Glycine: Grenoble

Despite some rain, went to P. La Glycine in Meguro, near the river. I walked 9 km at 6 km/h and ran 3 km at 7 km/h, so still super slow. Could feel the running in my problem leg area, but seems okay. Still, I think I'll take a day off tomorrow and go out early Saturday and Sunday.

Ate in, outside under an awning. I had the Grenoble for 550 yen. It was good. It's a chocolate walnut tart with an almond crust, caramel, and fresh cream on top. It didn't really go beyond the base ingredients, and the caramel was the bitter almost coffee-like kind, which was okay eating it, but did not help and left a slight unwelcome aftertaste.

In the evening I made Italian-style meringue macaron shells. Seem okay but once again I probably didn't get enough air out, as they are rather hollow and bumpy.

Only remaining Excellent shop on my list I need to visit for a third cake is Chez Cima, which has a counter at Isetan. Before that, I want a sixth from Yu Sasage, which is expected to be on the Near-Great list.

Paris S'éveille: Comme Newyorkais

Went to Paris S'éveille and actually parked my bicycle at a legal parking spot. I've never used there and did not really realize it was so close (although it is on the other side of the RR crossing). I also obeyed the little sign on the table that I had not noticed previously, which said don't take pictures, as it disturbed other guests, which is reasonable but unfortunate.   

I got their New York style cheese cake, Comme Newyorkais. Here's what it looks like:

I have no complaints, as far as it being as advertised. The little cookie-like topping tastes like my traditional pie crusts, so I assume it is oil-based rather than butter-based, whereas the bottom of the cake is a sponge to soak up some of the moisture, which works. I'd say it was excellent, but still not a priority for me. I tend to like it more during than after. This was 580 yen and they let me not order a drink, which I appreciate, because the drinks are more than the cake, so presumably that's where the profit is.

Later, I also got a Choux Creme from Glycine for 380 yen, which was very good, but I realized that I need to stop getting these, because I don't really like Choux Creme that much, or at least, I don't like them enough that I want to eat a whole one, but I would split one with someone, much like ice cream (which they are closer to in taste than cake).

I also went to Cuoca, mostly hardware but some chocolate and decoration-type cocoa powder. I stuck to the about 1000 yen/200 g chocolate rather than the 4000+/200 g stuff because, wow, that's why chocolates are so expensive.

P. la Glycine: Concert (2nd cake)

Somehow managed to get away in time to do a run to P. la Glycine. Since I've been running somewhat hard for a couple days and I only need a few kilometers to match last week, I deliberately tried to go slow, although not to the point of timing myself (although I did check at 1.5 km, which came in over 9'30'', which seemed about right. Total, my path down to Aoyama, Avenue, through Omotesando to Aoyama Gakuen University, down to Meguro River, and following it to the shop, took 41'35''09, covering 6.49 km, which is exactly my slow pace.
Coming back, I took 46'00''04 to cover 6.79 (including a pedestrian overpass), which is very slow.

The cake was Concert (or maybe Kontsert: it was only written in katakana) for 570 yen. This is "new" and chocolate. Similar to yesterday's, the top was mousse and the bottom was not, but this time the bottom was a dry/crunchy but somewhat loose biscuit with almond pieces in it rather than being poundcake-like. They boast using 80% cacao chocolate, so it's dark. It was very good and I appreciate the effort to make a different kind of chocolate cake than I've had before, so I'm keeping this shop as worthy (versus just good).

I think that leaves six worthy places with fewer than 2 cakes posted on, four at Isetan (although one is just a bakery, which I'll probably visit tomorrow), and two are distant, so I probably won't be getting to either soon, although maybe the closer one next weekend.

Visit to Jiyugaoka and P. la Glycine

Rain cleared up earlier than it might have and I was able to get out by noon in sunny late-spring/early-summer weather (with heavy wind). I took my usual route, which Google says is 11.3 km and it took me 1:08'27'', which is 6.06 min/km, moderate speed, which is as fast as I do long runs, although in this case I didn't try to maintain the pace.

At Jiyugaoka, I went to Paris S'éveille to get a croissant for 250 yen, which was fine although not special, and a Kouign Amann, which was great again, despite not being fresh from the oven this time. I ate these just in the little strip park that runs in front of Origines Cacao, which was perhaps a mistake, because I'm finding mosquito bites. Apparently, I need mosquito repellent in February now, at least if there are a couple warm days in a row (although I've seen them around my door even when it was just above average warm in winter).

Next, I ran to P. La Glycine, which was not exactly where I thought it was (and Google thinks it is). Until now, I had been visiting the French deli next door. Now that I know where to look, it's hard to miss; I'll try again going there at night. The run took 43'32'' and covered 6.4 km, which is 6.8 min/km. I was trying for faster than that, but there are other people out walking and hills to climb.

Coming home, I got turned around, so I just tried to climb (to get up to Old Yamanote Road) and then take my usual way back, but I ended up going through Shibuya Station (literally), before catching up with Aoyama Road. Google's estimate of my best guess of what route I used is 6.2 km, and my estimate of how long it took is 41' (I caught myself running with the chronometer stopped), which means 6.6 min/km, still very slow, but suspiciously faster with the cake than without it.

So my weekly running is, in 3 days, 47 km comprising 22.6 km moderate, 11.4 km slow, and 12.6 km very slow, compared to last week in 4 days 34 km comprising 8 km moderate and 26 km very slow. That's faster than maybe I should be ramping up the moderate-speed running and I would have liked to have gotten in more than three days running and another few kilometers of very slow. I've heard, don't increase more than 10% per week, but that can't apply to getting back into running after an injury (10% more of zero is still zero), so instead I'm thinking that my maximum was about 100 km a week before and 50 km for one day. Since I figure subtract 1% per day inactive and it's been 4 weeks since my injury, maybe 70-75 km is enough for next week and I can try to increase 10% from there after that. Similarly, next week I'll try for 30-35 km for next Saturday, if that is my maximum run, and raise that to 35-40 km the next week, which should both be enough for the next two History and Culture courses that I want to do, even with cake detours.

Finally, the cake for today: I got Mistral (which means "masterly", but is the French name of a particular type of strong cold northwesterly wind) for 600 yen. This is pistachio mousse, in which I think there is cherry liquor (having trouble with the translation, but it's definitely cherries, and they've definitely been pickled or fomented), but also some chocolate crunch. I choose this despite the cherries because it was the one marked "recommended" (by the "Chef"). It's not a big shop, so there was not a huge choice, but enough for me to go back. Since I've been badmouthing them because I couldn't look as far as the next building to find them, I may be feeling generous, but I liked this, so I'll say it is excellent and mark the shop as "worthy" of further special attention.

Since I got this shop from Sweet Sonobe, I'll need to start exploring that blog further for recommendations.

Wednesday: Glycine failure

Ran out to (P. la) Glycine, which I've gone to three times now, and I'm zero for three in finding them open. First, it was preparation for Christmas and then it was holiday after Christmas (neither of which were really shocking). Today, I went on a day when they are supposed to be open and their hours are posted as until 20:00, and yet they were closed at 19:27. Not the only shop like that, but it means that I'm taking them off the list of places for weekday evening visitations.

Good run though, so no worries. Did a moderately paced 6.4 km out in 37'12'', which is just short (at 5.81 min/km) of being fast. To balance that, my coming back time (more up hill, on average) was a slow 41'50'', not far (at 6.53 min/km) from being very slow. Some pretty steep (like, with warning signs on the road with the grade, as well as road texturing) hills, strong winds, cold, and I went through Omotesando, so a little crowded. Also, there were multiple stairs involved.

Third attempt at canelé with brioche forms, and at least I smothered them with enough butter so that they popped out, but I found pouring that I did a poor job of mixing up the batter and they seemed soft coming out, but not burnt, a first. The canelé seem good enough to make again. Even reducing the cooking time another 3 minutes to reduce burning, the center was not such a blob, although that might have to do with how long I let them cook before eating. I may try chilling the batter next time, since that would effect how it interacts with the butter coating, and for that matter, I might try chilling the buttered forms enough that the butter all solidifies (I refrigerate them before buttering, which speeds that up, so it wouldn't take long).

Also found out tonight that pecan pie tartlets are delicious straight from the freezer, which is dangerous knowledge.