The team behind public radio-loving sandwich shop Wax Paper just opened the long-awaited Lingua Franca in Frogtown along the LA River. Market correspondent Gillian Ferguson talks to pastry chef Kirstin Bliss about what desserts to put on an opening menu. A walnut tart is inspired by the wood finishes in the space, while the chocolate egret's nest is an ode to the restaurant's mascot. The chocolate dessert starts with a dense brownie, piped with chocolate ganache and filled with blood oranges. It sits on a compote using the same fruit, which will rotate and change seasonally.
Bliss gets her citrus from Murray Family Farms where Jessie Ruiz, the farm's market coordinator, picks out her favorite citrus of the season. She loves the easy-to-peel tango mandarins and tarocco blood oranges with their hint of acidity and slight sweetness.