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Ham Radio: Cooking with Amy Thielen

Risky Business: The delicious science behind cooking with lye and more

By Amy Thielen,
Heidi Holtan
Published May 24, 2025 at 6:00 AM CDT
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Wally Everson holds a church cookbook containing recipes for Lutefisk in his kitchen in Hixton, Wisconsin on May 12, 2025.
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
Wally Everson holds a church cookbook containing recipes for Lutefisk in his kitchen in Hixton, Wisconsin on May 12, 2025.

This week, Amy and Heidi's adventures in the kitchen feature cooking with lye, pickling lime, Hawaiian taro and some other semi-hazardous ingredients that, since the beginning of cooking time, have been used to turn humble raw ingredients into unforgettable delicacies.

Guests include 87-year-old lutefisk extraordinaire Wally Everson, Top Chef and Iron Chef alum Lee Anne Wong, and chef Megan Handke, who will be dropping some recipes and techniques that are dangerously delicious. And an 9-year-old calls explains her recipe for acorn pancakes.

A young girl smiles behind the microphone at KAXE.
Heidi Holtan
/
KAXE
Francesca Squadroni shares her story of milling foraged acorns for acorn pancakes on May 20, 2025.

Featuring original licensed music — "You Know How I Like It" by Jeremy Messersmith.

Made possible by the Minnesota Arts & Culture Heritage Fund. Support KAXE: Become a member today.

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Ham Radio: Cooking with Amy Thielen KAXEMade Possible by the Minnesota Arts & Culture Heritage Fund
Amy Thielen
Amy Thielen is a cookbook author and chef from Park Rapids.
See stories by Amy Thielen
Heidi Holtan
Heidi Holtan has been involved with KAXE since 2002. Now as Director of Content and Public Affairs she manages and is the host of the KAXE Morning Show, including a variety of local content like Phenology, What's for Breakfast, Area Voices, The Sports Page and much more, alongside Morning Edition from NPR. Her latest project is Ham Radio: Cooking with Amy Thielen.
See stories by Heidi Holtan
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Wally Everson holds a church cookbook containing recipes for Lutefisk in his kitchen in Hixton, Wisconsin on May 12, 2025.
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
Conversation
Ham Radio: Lutefisk master Wally Everson
Wally Everson of Hixton, Wisconsin, was a guest on the first episode of "Ham Radio: Cooking with Amy Thielen." He shared his method of creating and cooking lutefisk.