Cake-off: Fiorentina Pastry Boutique's Estate over Lenôtre's Concerto

Had the afternoon off and collected cakes by bicycle and then did a little running, still on a 3:7 walking:running ratio and totaling only 34 minutes of running, but it had been 10 days, so it seemed like enough. If I'm reasonably okay tomorrow, depending on the weather, I'll trying running to Ginza instead of using a bicycle.
While at Ginza today, earlier than last evening I was there, I check Origines Cacao and they do have some actual cakes that I've had among their seasonal cakes, so I need to keep visiting, which is my plan for Wednesday and Thursday.

The running was just down to confirm some newly added sites on the way to two small new loops, the Jinguumae 5 loop counterclockwise, to complete the Harjuku south clump and the Jinguumae--Kita-Aoyama south loop (on which I could not find and Kiri café), to complete the Omotesandou west lump.  I also confirmed a Natural Lawson on the Kita-Aoyama central loop has fresh baked goods worth adding them (no changes to the route required) but that the Streamer Expresso on the Minami-Aoyama north loop does not. Next I need to do the Shibuya east loop and check out some sites around there, but the next loop will be clear back redoing the huge main loop around Akasaka (which I did only by bicycle), since I've found another bakery in the middle that I need to swing around, and possible split off a little loop north of Tokyo Midtown to include a Natural Lawson.

Both the cakes today were recent new ones I'm not completely competent about, so comparing them to each other didn't tell me a whole lot. The chocolate one, Concerto, from Lenôtre was still really nice, but for variety, I'm choosing the white chocolate and pistachio and citrus fruit (I think) Estate from the Fiorentina Pastry Boutique. I still will go to Lenôtre first, because I've only had one cake from them and they are the backup for Origines Cacao now (though I noticed another Ginza 6 cake shop, so when I need a new place as a backup, I can use that, or the pie shop there, if I can wait for cake), but next in priority is another from Fiorentina, though we're coming up on the end of the month, so I'll have to check JPH and Sadaharu Aoki soon. Before that, I'll try to get Estate into a second-round cake-off this weekend with En Vedette.

Lindt, Truffle au Chocolat Framboise

Tried to actually exercise again today, beyond just walking. Expected that it might induce coughing, but no such problem. Went by bicycle down to Lindt first, as a quite fine shop that I need a third cake from. I got the Truffle au Chocolat Framboise, which was the only viable option for a new cake (more cakes are listed on their site, but I suspect there aren't that many at the Kitaaoyama shop).

Then I went over to the Fiorentina Pastry Boutique at Roppongi Hills and confirmed that they still have Estate, which I want for a cake-off tomorrow, so I should be set. Back home, I only did push-ups as indoor workout and I was pretty weak, but it's a (re)start. Maybe I'll do abs, back, and arms tomorrow.

The raspberry truffle cakes was definitely fine. Lindt might just be a big commercial chocolate maker, but they have a good brand and protect it. Not exciting but solid and dependable. They shouldn't have trouble hanging on to a position among the fine shops (targeted to be the bottom half of the top 127 Tokyo shops). Eleven more quite fine shops to confirm, including both of tomorrow's cake-off targets, who are top contenders to move up to the next level.

Wako Annex, Saint-Honoré Orange & Charmant Fraise

Was busy this weekend, but was out at Ginza Mitsukoshi Saturday later afternoon and was able to skip ahead (alphabetically) and visit the Wako Annex for cake for two, which is one of three holiday/weekend-only two-cake quite fine shops. I really like some saint-honoré, so I went with the Saint-Honoré Orange. The other chosen cake was Charmant Fraise, which is white chocolate and strawberry.

The first is a good quality saint-honoré with some orange compote, maybe, in the center. It seemed like a good idea and well executed, so I'm willing to say that it was excellent. The Charmant Fraise was also good, though less appreciated by me. I was hoping for more flavor from the white chocolate maybe, but its nice if mild strawberry cake with a moussy texture.

Noliette, Noisettine

Due to a lingering health problem, I decided to get my cake more locally than I would have and a little out of order by going down to Shinjuku Takashimaya and visiting the Noliette counter (versus Patissieria, which also had 3 of their their cakes, but different ones). This brand is big on traditional forms and I chose Noisettine, which is hazelnut biscuit, hazelnut butter cream, and hazelnut praliné. I like nuts and this kind of tradition cake, so its not shock that I thought this was excellent, which keeps them in the quite fine category for now.

Lenôtre: Concerto

No running since last Saturday, due to some otolaryngological problems, although the usual accompanying dermatological problem appeared as well. Anyway, Monday I rested, so I didn't get to Sourire, one of 3 basically holiday-only shops among the 14 quite fine shops that I wanted a third cake from to whittle the category down to hopefully closer to the target 32 than 64 shops that its been near. Tuesday, I was well enough to work and go to Isetan afterward and make a third (blogged) visit to Morozoff and try their Rare Cheese Cake. Not that fond of rare cheesecake in general and this didn't impress me in particular. I can rate it as ok, but Morozoff goes in the just fine category, so I at least knocked down the remaining two-cake quite fine shops to 13. 

Wednesday, I went by bicycle to Ginza 6 to get a cake from Origines Cacao. Unfortunately, I've had all 4 or 5 of the regular fresh cakes on display and all 3 seasonal things next to them were jar desserts. They say they are verrine, and I believe them in principle, but JPH's verrine have actually sponge as a layer, so I've allowed them as cakes, but OC isn't JPH and these didn't have anything to distinguish them from a parfait-like dessert, so my previous resolve to accept verrine as cakes collapsed; I'd rather wait to see what comes next month, although if they are like JPH, just the same or different verrine, probably.

I had a good back-up ready though: Lenôtre, a chocolatier that opened a counter at Ginza Mitsukoshi between JPH and F. Cassel this year but I haven't tried yet. I went for the mousse chocolate cake, Concerto. It has glaze and crunch as well, but it's relatively soft for a high percentage of mousse and most resembles my favorite type of JPH cakes. That said, and given the quality, I'm going to have to say it was great, which is a pretty good start, though now I'm back to 14 among the quite fine shops with fewer than 3 cakes and a new top priority. Guess I better hit one of the other 13 next, rather than the old top shop in that category, which is going to have to wait.

Cake-off: Frédéric Cassel's Choux Vanille over Bien-être's Pistachio and American Cherry Chiboust

Sunday, I collected cakes for a cake-off. I've something going in my throat that's probably from a sinus drip, so took it slow by bicycle to collect cakes and will skip running. Not that I have a fever or anything (I'm not that crazy about cake), but I'm being cautious. I went to Frédéric Cassel first to get their Choux Vanille, but I went out late enough that I could have revered the order of the visits. By the time I could visit Bien-être for their limit-time Pistachio and American Cherry Chiboust, it was 12:30 pm and their were only two pieces left. But they were in the back of the case, so it looked more like they were selling off the tail-end of this season's run. I was lucky to get it, though my backup cake was nearby. Both these cakes are one and one going into a third-round cake-off. Actually, I couldn't choose between these based on taste, so I'm going by simplicity, my overall shop evaluation, and distinctiveness of the type with my greats list to give the win to Frédéric Cassel's Choux Vanille.

L'Abricotier, Saint Honoré

Friday, I did an indoor workout. Before hand, I went to Isetan to get their Koonie Chocolat Pecan, since they won a cake-off but don't have any new cakes (in Japan). Koonie are their cookie-brownie hybrid, covered in chocolate, and there are several flavors. I approve of the combination, and can call this an excellent baked good. Hard to tell the size from the photo, but reported weight Koonies on the French website is 20 g each.

Saturday, as planned, I rode to L'Abricotier to get a new cake, also for a cake-off win. This makes the 19th cake type from them for me. This time I got Saint Honoré, which I was surprised to find as new to be from there. It's very traditional in construction. As Japanese choux pastry goes, this was fairly robust, which I appreciate. The caramel is bitter caramel, which I did not appreciate but can respect, so I don't have probably saying that this was excellent.

Other errands appeared that I was not expected, so I was actually pretty late getting back, but went out again at 4 pm to confirm neighborhood course loops in the south Jinguumae area. This time I could confirm my Jinguumae 5&6 and Jinguumae--Shibuya loops counterclockwise, and take care of clockwise for the Jinguumae 5 and Jinguumae--Kita-Aoyama south loops. Along the way, on the first of these four, I finally sampled Coco-Agepan, which is not open in the afternoon, though you'll still see the truck it's run out of parked in the same spot. Agepan means fried bread, and is a staple sweet to an extent. They fry it after you order it, but it doesn't take long. It's basically like a long yeast donut. I choose the Cinnamon Agepan rather than the Coco one (which I assume is chocolate, not coconut), one of several flavors. It was good and reasonable snack for runners, though photographing it in the rain was awkward.