Cake-off: Pierre Hermé's Carrément Chocolat over Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné

Still behind blogging, but Sunday I ran morning and afternoon, with a cake-off in between. The first run was to Yu Sasage, where I found that they aren't currently making either of the cakes that I want from them, one of which is undefeated after three rounds of cake-offs. I'll have to do a better job of watching the website to see if it reappears, but otherwise I'll probably never get there again. I took the train back to Isetan so I could get my backup pair of cakes, Pierre Hermé's Carrément Chocolat, their standard chocolate cake, and Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné, which finishes its current run on the 15th, so it was priority. Both were two wins and one loss in three rounds, but Pierre Hermé's Carrément Chocolate easily took its third win. It's got a brownie base, crunch middle, and mousse top, which doesn't sound like anything special, but it adds up to a great texture.

The late run was the Ebisu 4 loop, which is short but far away. I had originally thought I was going to do the third clump of loops, but laziness took over. Since I seem to have overdone things, it was a wise choice.

I was greedy Sunday, as I hadn't had a pastry for a week and Sadaharu Aoki, which doesn't have enough new cakes to satisfy me but has among the best pastries, had something new, the Gallette des Rois Nature, where Nature indicates that it is almond filling. This was definitely excellent, so I hope to get the chestnut version before it finishes its run.

Cake-off: Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné over Paris S'éveille's Le Suprême

Sunday, I fit in some running and cake. In the morning to early afternoon, I ran down to Jiyuugaoka and got Le Suprême from Paris S'éveille's for a third-round cake for the runner-up bracket (the one and one shops after two rounds). Stopped off on the way back to get the special-time Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné, which was my main focus, though I still have another month before it's scheduled to be replaced. While at Paris S'éveille's, I got a snack to last me until lunch, their Croissant Orange, as a fresh viennoiserie. It was great, as I remembered. Some time I need to do a match up with the great croissant from Sadaharu Aoki, since these may be the only two great croissants I know of.

Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné easily won, as it is decadent combination of chocolate coating, praliné, and meringue. I'm having my doubts about needing to sample Le Suprême, though I'll get a fourth round at least. The flavor combination of blueberry and chocolate is definitely nice and not something I have other exams of, but it's just a mousse cake with some glazing and chocolate that isn't that well integrated into the cake (though I guess it protects it from sticking to the box, and it was somewhat successful, though it doesn't stick to cake well either). Still, I enjoyed both cakes, so no disappointment.

In the evening, I went down and did the Jinguumae 5&6 loop clockwise. Note that there is illumination up on Omotesandou-douri Ave., so they close the pedestrian footbridges for safety (otherwise, people would crowd up there, and they aren't that wide or seem to be that rugged) and station cops at the crosswalks to keep people from standing too long in the street taking pictures, which I didn't try to do.

Cake-off: Frédéric Cassel's Breteuil over Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné

Monday, I didn't work too late, so I tried again to get cakes for a cake-off from Ginza Mitsukoshi. On the way, I finished confirming the Yotsu north loop on the neighborhood running course, since I had to wait at that light anyway (it's just one block). This time, I was successful getting both cakes: neither shop was sold out of what I wanted.

The Longchamp Praliné was again sugary and nutty with a nice amount of chocolate. The Breteuil is also nutty with a similar amount of chocolate, but also creamy (the longchamp is baked meringue inside, I think) and quite fruity, apparently just from the pistachios, though it seems like there must be more to it. Regardless, for the richer flavors, the Breteuil gets its second win in a row in this second-round cake-off. Haven't calculated whether I'll be able to fit in a third round for Longchamp Praliné before it ends in January, as it's going to take a couple weeks to create a suitable opponent for the Breteuil's third round, which is now the priority.

Cake-off Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné over Origines Cacao, Tarte Citron

Went to Ginza the long way, so I could finish off the added Minami-Aoyama 1 loop and also get the pictures for the added Kita-Aoyama east loop. It was also a late start, as I had a morning appointment, but the goal was get there around noon in case I needed to visit a shop that opens then. The main target was Jean-Paul Hévin's Longchamp Praliné, but I then went to Origines Cacao and firmed that the Tarte Citron is not a standard, so I got that. I know I said I wasn't going to this week, but another seasonal cake appeared at F Cassel, so I figured I need to step things up. Also, I'm busy next week, so was not sure whether I would be able to get a cake-off in.

It was not a lot of running, but it was around 1 pm by the time I got home and then there was lunch, so I didn't save the cakes so long. The sugar-heavy Longchamp Praliné didn't have any trouble convincing me that it was the winner, but the Tarte Citron, while mild, went great with it, which I think as one of it's strong points, so I'm not so worried about it not belong with the greats.

I had planned to do my largest loop Sunday, so no more running Saturday, but I found a flaw in that loop, so I have to reset completing it (wiping out my clockwise completion), so it seemed less important. That being the case, I decided I'd work on other loops Sunday, so I started that by trying the revised Tomigaya-Yoyogi loop while also running an errand to figure out how to revise the Hatagaya--Nishihara loop, which was not as nearby as I had hoped, and I also stopped for bread. I was able to follow the planned loop perfectly, but realized that it couldn't be correct under my current rules for courses and I was right, so it was just practice (the correct map turns one block earlier at one point).

Jean-Paul Hévin, Longchamp Praliné

Thursday was running revised neighborhood routes. I did three other loops, but the important part was I finished the Minami-Motomachi--Wakaba--Yotsuya--Sugachou--Shinanomachi Loop and Minami-Motomachi--Moto-Akasaka loop. Friday, I did the basic part of my indoor workout, before going for a shorter run that did one way of one loop and finished the revised Minami-Aoyama east loop. Before the run, I got cake from Jean-Paul Hévin, the Longchamp Praliné, which at first I didn't recognize as new, since it combines elements of a couple past great cakes that there are multiple variations of, the Feuilletine Praliné and all the Longchamp (except, surprisingly, the Feuilleté), so it was a good bet this one would be great, and it seemed to be. It's supposed to be around until mid-January, so hopefully I'll be able to get it in all 4 cake-off rounds by then. I'll try to get started next week, against a new Mont-Blanc.