33.4 km. Meguro-Den'enchofu H&C: Origines Cacao

Today's run was on the Meguro-Den'enchofu History and Culture route. Actually, I started at the new route start point, whereas my map is for the old map, as best I can figure, so I timed maybe a few tens of meters less of route, but since I spent 1.05 km in double-backs this time due to differences between the new and old maps, it's not a big issue. Next time (and I like this route, both for running and for where it takes me, quite a bit, so I expect a next time), I'll check out the marker at Meguro Station that I spotted with Google Street View and see where both today's route and the route from yesterday should go if I follow the old route shown on markers, which is my preference. I also used Street View to find a marker that I missed on today's run, and I could even see why I missed it: the shop in front of it likes to put out banners that would block the view coming up to it on the route.

Total run breaks down into 7 km to get to the start point, 11.9 km for the route itself (see above comment about approximately 1 km more in deviations), and 14.5 km back by way of Origines Cacao and Cuoca (a baking supply store on the first floor of the same building). Times for the three parts were 45'45'', 1:25'46'', and 1:39'47'' for a total of 3:51'18''. Given yesterday's run, the times seem okay. The first part was also slow because I didn't want to press it anyway before I got to a main route that I'm keeping track of the best time for, and the last part, besides cake, I had 1 kg of powdered sugar in my backpack, so I was additionally motivated to take it easy and not mess up my back again. 

It was colder today and I started earlier, so I put on a heavier windbreaker and wore thicker gloves (gloves that I had forgotten about). 

With yesterday's run, I estimate that I did just short of 74 km for Saturday and Sunday, which is a personal record. The right knee seemed to be the weak point again, although it held together. Actually, it's probably not the knee's fault. I'm doing more stretching of my legs, especially the right side, and now my feet (it's not really the running that seems to be the problem there initially, but the business shoes: I've got to make sure I exercise more my toe and foot muscles, as well as stretch my Achilles tendon). I guess next would be either 55 km in one day or break 80 km in two days, although I won't try the latter if I do the former. Unfortunately, next weekend I scheduled the gas company inspection for 3 pm Saturday, so I have to plan around that. Also, Wed. is a holiday (Japanese emperor's birthday), so balancing out my running is more complicated this week. Maybe I'll run again tomorrow night, skip Tue night, run moderately Wed and Thu, skip Fri, and get up early for a long run Saturday to some distant H&C route. 



Origines Cacao: Lyonnaise

On to cake: today's cake from Origines Cacao was Lyonnaise for 497 yen. This was very good. According to the description, it's chocolate mousse and raspberry ganache and mousse. I'm not sure how the last "mousse" works in, but there visible raspberry in the center, and also the bottom mousse layers seemed to have raspberry in it (raspberry flavor lingers, so it's hard to tell). As I said, it is very good, for a pile of mousse, which is very different from yesterday's cake. Also, I read the card on the Quiza that made me put Origines Cacao on review for its greatness designation, and it explained that the flavor was light intentionally, which was supposed to make the aftertaste more refreshing; maybe I should give it another try some time, but I've probably got enough great cakes recorded that I won't get around to that anytime soon.

The snack of the day (it's a long run) was a Kouign Amann (no picture) for 320 yen from Paris S'éveille. A huge tray had just been put out at, apparently (since they were warm and it was full), so it's worth knowing that this was just before 10:51, because this was so delicious: a flaky pastry around a still warn and soft lump of butter and sugar. It really hit the spot about 20 km in, although maybe just slight heavy for running.

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.

Run to Potager: Ginger Chocolate Mousse

Decided to give Potager a try, finally. They're known for vegetable sweets, and besides their versions of patisserie cakes and cookies, sell soy noodles, although maybe that's related to whatever they serve as a café besides cake. It's a little over 6 km and I could get there in about 36 minutes running. I forget whether I arrived at 7:20 or 7:30, but they had both several customers and a variety of cakes left.



Potager: Ginger Chocolate Mousse

I chose the Ginger Chocolate Mousse for 470 yen, which is in a standard chocolate mousse cake form with a cream center. The ginger seemed to be actually tiny pieces of ginger, enough to crunch a little, rather than making it a mousse like the chocolate, but it was just a slight accent rather than trying to really compete with the chocolate, despite its "abundant" use. I choose a standard form of cake which actually I often have trouble with, maybe being burned out on it, but in this case it was fine. It was not a rich chocolate or a strong chocolate, but it was not watery so I could enjoy it and the ginger (and a tea flavor accent as well, supposedly). Thus, it was successful as a run and a cake source: within my range in terms of distance and operating hours and having good cake worth the trip. I'm designating it "worthy" (for lack of a better term for shops that I'm especially interested in that aren't at the "great" level of the top places). I'm starting to reorganize my map in preparation for when I'll want to visit some shops on the map that I haven't blogged about but visited in the past.

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Imperial moat course and Shiseido: Amaretto Raisin

Got my cake first, from the Shiseido Parlour counter at Isetan. I'm not sure whether they have cake at any of their other outlets. Haven't see it if they have. I got the Amaretto Raisin for 453 yen, which is reasonable. They only have a few cakes and the milli feuille, mont-blanc, short cake, and shu cream (puff) are usually going to be among them, so not a huge selection, but worth being aware of.

Jogged comfortably over the the imperial moat course and timed myself for one lap: 25'38''09, which is consistent with my best times elsewhere, even using my older heavy shoes. Special features of the course are that, starting from the middle of the west side, where Shinjuku Road runs into it and there's a park and a guard post, it's at its steepest going downhill. It's maybe flat along the south side, but then turns to a steady uphill for the next half the course, even after you turn the corner onto the west side from the north. Also, it's crowded, although I didn't run into huge problems. At one corner, there were a couple people holding signs promoting some race Jan 29, so maybe it was the Shinjuku half marathon, although I didn't recognize that as what they were saying.

Back home, I had the Amaretto Raisin, which is named for the liquor, which it has, but it was not noticeably alcoholic. I didn't know it was so I asked, which made the clerk look it up. Actually, what she told me was apricots, which is what amaretto is made from, that and almonds usually, I guess. Actually, she confirmed last that I was okay with it having alcohol before finalizing the sale: she's not irresponsible. Now, if only clerks did that for things with coffee in them. Lots of fruit in this cake, including raisins, of course, with just an outer wrapping of mousse, which worked for me: excellent cake. I'll have to go back and read the description, but I wonder if the actual outer bottom cake part (which is shy of 1 cm thick, I think) reminded me of ginger, although maybe that's the Amaretto flavor. Counter is worth keeping an eye on.

Still got a couple counters at Isetan that I definitely need to blog/add to the map, and maybe a few others that I might eventually. Oh, and there's Rose Bakery on the third floor: I assume that you can get takeout from there.

Weekday run to Paris S'éveille

I left from work as soon as possible and rushed home to change and go running so that I could get to Paris S'éveille in Jiyugaoka as soon as possible (specifically, I needed to get there by 8 pm, but since I did not know how early they sold out, never having been there either on a weekday or at night, I was motivated to arrive as early as possible). Made a lot of street lights and manged not much more than 1 h 10 minutes real time and 1 06'36'' by the somewhat crazy route I took, which was about 12 km long, so I really was running hard. There were about four types of cake left when I arrived just after 7:30 and got in a short line, plus many fondants and lots of interesting looking baked things, so even if they had run out of cake, I would have had something interesting, I think. Still, I should see if a shorter route would be faster (with lights, it is not necessary, and Google maps lies about where you can cross Ring Road 7). Originally, I was thinking I would run back, but that's a long way to run with cake and I had other things to do tonight, so I took the train, which was not very crowded that direction and I could get the commuter express.

The cake was Tarte Tentation aux Cassis aux Figue for 600 yen, which is, of course, a (tempting) fig and blackcurrant tart. It's two layers of mousse on top of a dark biscuit (other flavors were strong and I didn't squat down to read the card through the glass, so I'm not sure about the flavor, but it was just a couple millimeters thick, but the right degree of firmness). On top is fig and a little cassis cream. This was excellent. Actually, I was not sure at the time of eating, but my opinion improves as I think back, so I guess I'm willing to say that it was great. It was certainly different and I would recommend it to others.

Now the problem is the next underrepresented great shop is Origines Cacao (which closes at 7:30 pm, so it would be tough to get there in time, but I could almost do it, if I tightened up my route and continued to be lucky with the lights).

Ikebukuro H&C, Aigre-Douce and Shirokanedo

There was light rain, but I went out and did the Ikebukuro History and Culture course, as shown on the map. It took 34'01''60 to get to the end (for some reason, I didn't look up the direction first and did it in reverse; I'll try to straight that out for next time) and another 1 20'29''57 to give up on finding the beginning, which included one long double back where I missed a turn and a circling back around Kishimojin (characters, Demon Child Mother God) because the online map which I copied into my map book skips it but the markers (if I were going in the correct direction) go right past it. The online map makes up the distance by moving the route "before" that further west, which doesn't seem necessary, except to get people off a narrow street. I suppose I should have done both versions there just to see what was on the posted route, but following markers in reverse, it screwed me up for the next turn. I'll take a look next time. The railway crossing "after" the temple near there seems to have been under construction for years (at least it was a couple/few years ago when I last traveled it, which at least at that time of day required two guys to direct traffic). An advantage of the following the intended direction would be that it was be mostly downhill instead of uphill. Anyway, there is lots of room to improve my speed.

From Ikebukuro (where I verified that Pierre Hermé has at least a few cakes at the Seibu counter), I went to Aigre-Douce to get cake and then hurry home and shower in time to be no more late for my appointment than the other person was. The cake was Fraicheur Exotique for 600 yen. I'm not sure what made it exotic, maybe some sort of citrus fruit in the meringue on top. The chocolate was the watery chocolate that I don't like, although not the worst I've had by any means. I didn't have much time to explore this when eating it, but the name suggests that this was chocolate whipped cream between the layers of chocolate cake, which might explain why I was not impressed with it (whipped cream is not a good filling in general, in my opinion). This was not revolting, but still disappointing enough that I reviewed my ratings so see whether this should stay a great cake shop. It's had a couple great cakes, so I'll give them another chance before I demote them.

My appointment was for shopping. After, we just barely had time to get some cake at Isetan, and Shirokanedo was chosen. I would have chosen elsewhere (as the counter: I got to choose Isetan), but was okay with it. I've had a couple cakes from there since they replace the California place but didn't get into them. The cake was Ichigo ("strawberry") Tarte for 594 and a Wafuu (I think, but I didn't have time to take notes, but means "Japanese-Style") Mont-Blanc for 810 yen. It's Isetan, so I can update the names later, when I have time. The tart was fine. It was a very flaky crust, with the flakes being radial, which was interesting, but still not a substitute for great cake. Just a little custard (and no whipped cream). The Mont-Blanc was actually the best of the day. It was not as good as Jean-Paul Hevin's, but otherwise very good, as it should be for the price. Still not particularly interested in this place (which has an actual shop that I should put on the map), but I'm willing to eat things from there again.

Speaking of whipped cream, I received cookies from La Primeur, and they were fine. I also really like the cookies from Henri Charpentier, but would have been more disappoint if there had been select today.

To Jouvaud in Hiroo: Petit Désirade

Tried Jouvaud in Hiroo again, and this time they had several types of cake. Guess Friday night is a good time to go. I struggle deciding and got the Petit Désirade, which was foolish: I'm attracted to chocolate but these chocolate mousse domes usually don't work out. This was okay though, which is better than average. I don't think I'll designate Jouvaud as being of special interest yet, but I'll look forward to going back again someday, since it's close and open until 8 pm. This was only 508 yen. It's chocolate glaze over chocolate mouse around a little vanilla cream on top of small disk of sponge cake all on top of a hard biscuit base. Nothing bad about any of it, it was nice.

The run was first a straight there and back, which took 25 minutes there and 27 minutes back, more from being downhill there and uphill back than my being tired or the cake slowing me down so much, although it was a little windy. After putting away the cake in the refrigerator, I went out and ran in the neighborhood of another 39 minutes, just because it was a nice night (after the heavy raid this morning, it shot up to over 24 deg C in the afternoon) and I don't expect to have a chance to run again until Sunday night. I think I've figured out that my problem around my right hip is that I'm really stiff, which is how I got into back problems after 1998. So I'm trying to do a lot of stretching.. There's plenty else bad that's going to keep me slow, but it would be nice to be able to move my legs more.