Cake-off: Yu Sasage's "Perfum" over Hidemi's "Framboisier"

As expected, today's running was a little tough, so it was all around 9 km/h, which is better than it might have been. First, I went to Hidemi to get Framboisier. I dawdled preparing, so I didn't arrive until 11:05, whereas 10:50 might have been better. Still, I waited only about 15 min, but most of that outside in the sun. For this cake, it was close enough that I ran it back, though, with the lights, I didn't make it within the 40 min that they recommended. It was +11 km round-trip.

For the second cake, I went out to Yu Sasage, which was actually cooler, though it was now early afternoon, so probably not actually cooler. I ran about 1/4 north of the main highly, just to vary the routine (there are parks, which is convenient, and a lot of pretty old public housing apartment buildings, which are not so scenic, but fine), since I've been over to Yu Sasage a couple times recently for research and have previous stuck to the main road for simplicity (usually, I was coming back at the end, so not the best time for complications).

Both of these are fruity cakes, which are not my favorite, so hard to judge. The Framboisier, in particular, was hard to determine what I had thought was great about it, but by the last bite, I was certainly appreciating the balance of raspberry, sugar, and cream (also, may the cake needed some warm-up time, though not much in summer) and think that it is definitely excellent. The other cake, Perfum, is a pistachio tart with a fruity (soft) meringue, or at least the gelatin under the meringue was fruity. This also I liked more as I ate it (and the two cakes went well together, so it was a happy pairing). I liked the more substantial base, even if the three components, tart, meringue and gelatin tended to separate (as did the layers of Framboisier) and the actually lighter flavor of the top worked slightly better for me. It's a weekend/holiday only trip, so I guess that will be my run tomorrow, too, though, I'll trying following the train line south of the main road rather than north. Like today, though, I think I'll take the train back with the cake, at list to SHinjuku Station, because I've been running pretty heavy and the heat is not great for me or the cake.

Ohoribata H&C (sort of) and Hidemi

Tried to do the Ohoribata History and Culture course at the worst possible time, late morning of the Japanese emperor's birthday, when there's some big event on the palace side and that southeast edge is closed. Also, with half of the course along the most crowded jogging course I know, it's pretty crazy to be jogging opposite the standard direction (which I knew, but am always doing it anyway on the way home with cake), so next time I do this course I'll do it in reverse. Otherwise, most of the course is east and non-stop. The beginnings and endings are not marked well and are in busy areas with lots of traffic lights, as I've commented about that area before,. Also, it's kind of boring as a course because it's so familiar, but relatively convenient if I want to buy cake that way.

Because of running into crowds around the palace side and then having to figure out how to detour south and ultimately end up not so far from where I entered them, it took 44'48'' for just 6 1/3 km.

As planned, I got one piece of cake from Hidemi, although because of various problems, I did not arrive until well after 12, which meant a good wait. It looked like there were people in line who were not going to get any cake when I left, since they don't bring out more cake later, as far as I know [okay, I have seem them bring out more cake at around 11:20, so maybe they are not completely limited by the size of their display]. I got the Mangue Cassis, which is Mango and Cassis mousses and costs 680 yen. This cake is small, expensive, and not interesting at all, so I'm putting Hidemi in the "worthy" column rather than "great", and moving on to further exploring elsewhere. Also, my cake was fairly loose in the box, so the top pieces fell off, although at least they gave my cake to me quickly (other people got the full wrapping of the box in another layer of somewhat spongy plastic wrap, but the six shop people were busy, so unlike last time someone apparently judged that I didn't need the additional wrapping, which I didn't, on the outside).



Hidemi: Mangue Cassis

Later, I went to Fraoula, wanting some fresh baked goods, specifically a croissant and a bostock, but for the holidays, they were sticking to cake and longer lasting baked goods. I went the long way, exploring how far west I could go nonstop and also took a long confusing route back and stopped for shopping a couple places. The last 1 km or so was just walking. Total running was about 3 hours.

40+ km, Ginza-Tsukada and Shiba-Takanawa H&C, visiting Hidemi and Lettre d'Amore [Closed]

Did two History and Culture courses today which start at the same intersection, but returning home in between for a 20 to 30 minute pit stop. The Ginza-Tsukada one is short, is pretty crowded with lots of stoplights at the beginning, and requires a slight detour since the north side of the pedestrian walk for the main bridge is out. Just the course, which is about 4 km, took 24'13''75, which includes the detour and one double back of 0.1 km where I missed a turn.

I visited Hidemi Sugino again, this time getting the Améthyste for 680 yen, which is mint (?) green apple flavored butter cream and cassis butter cream. Fruit is not always my favorite, but I'm going to give this the benefit of the doubt and say it was great. They went light enough on the cassis to not tilt the flavor that way. Note that, due to being busy with Christmas cake, not only are they closed Sundays (and Mondays), but the salon is closed. There was a line just after opening, but it was diminishing when I arrived, so you can probably get there a little before noon and still be okay.

Total for this run was 17.28 km and took 2 03'53'', although that might have included the beginning of the next run, as I had multiple problems with my timing today. I should say that it was very windy, so I gave up on the hat part way home.



Hidemi: Améthyste

The second run was down the Shiba-Takanawa course. This is a forked course, so actually I ran the due-south leg both directions, which made the total for that course 11.04 km. Somehow, I restarted the run on my watch, so I'm completely confused about how long it was, although given that I had more than .5 km of doublebacking, it would not have been very characteristic. Too much of this is along main roads that were not too exciting, but since both south ends meet the beginnings of other courses, I'll be going at least partially be going along them again, maybe. Also, lots of stoplights at the beginning. At least there is room for running all the way and a lot of slopes, for good and bad.

Coming back from Meguro Station, I went to Lettre d'Amour and got Pomme Caramel for 480 yen. Actually, this is essentially pie, but it was a good choice for the gale-force (?) winds that I encountered at one point (almost couldn't move forward) and it hit the spot. After all, I had already had a fluffy creamy piece of cake today. Excellent cake/pie.

Well, if my body and the weather allow it, I'll see whether I can get down to Jiyugaoka and back tomorrow.

Culture Day run: Hidemi and Clair de Lune

Today's run is the one shown on the map, if you check before I add another one. It was 21+ km and involved 2 h 12 min of motion (mostly running, but there were crowds and a pedestrian bridge to requiring climbing stairs. Went through some crowded areas, but also was still sore (back and hips) at the beginning (now my feet are sore). Since I have a long run planned for Saturday, I've only got Wed. or Thu. for intervals to try to build actual muscle. Not sure whether another long run after only 6 days from the previous is okay, especially with 20+ km today, but we'll see.

Wanted to go to the cafe Kneten, as a Joshi+ recommendation, but they are closed Tue, apparently even when it is a holiday (I tried calling by phone, but no answer). I had several other places in mind, though, so no problem. I ended up visiting Patissier Hidemi Sugino's place. It's a cafe and 6 of the cakes are only for eating in, but the line for getting cake was not so bad (people go in groups, so it can look worse than it is). Since I was in no condition for anyone to want me in their crowded cafe, and it was 30 minutes after opening so the cafe space was already full with a few people waiting, I got a takeaway cake: Framboisier for 680 yen, which was great, so I'll need to visit again.

Sorry, not a great picture. Too bright outside to see what I was doing (and too tired to have the sense to realize how the shadows were falling). This is raspberry, obviously. Under the whole raspberries are almond bits. There should be a couple almond cake layers in there, but mainly raspberry butter cream, although fairly light buttercream as buttercream goes. Also, some red currant gel, although not sticky or wobbly (if there were enough of it) jelly, but more of a solid sauce that cuts easily. This is very fruity cake, probably from using fruit as the sweetener rather than some other kind of sugar, but the sweetness is just right.

After another 5 km, I got back to Clair de Lune for a second time this year. Maybe this was too short a distance (even though it took several more minutes to get to a park to eat it) for cake again. As I seek quality, I find that I have to cut down on quantity, and not just due to expense. The name is The Apres-Midi (I think something else might have been written in Latin characters, but this makes sense to me and matches the Japanese phonetic name) and was 600 yen. It's almost frozen and gives off a faint ice-being-cut sound, although it does not taste icy. Obviously there are figs on top (I put them on flat-side down, so they wouldn't roll off outside) of a sort of crumb topping. Not sure what the flavors are. Could be a little chocolate or could be fig. Not vanilla. I assume tea, but not strong. It was very good, but I became less satisfied with it afterward over time, which may have more to do with what happens in my stomach when I eat and jog. Anyway, probably not great, and the shop is still not convenient (in terms of distance and crowded areas that you have to pass through to get back inside Yamanote Line) although I'm getting a little more used to jogging on that side of town, so I've removed the shop from special consideration. If I'm in that neighborhood and need take-out cake, I would go again.