Wednesday, September 24, 2025 — The Menu: Troubling wild rice trend, heirloom Cherokee apples, and a prize-winning New Mexico burger

An unassuming café on Isleta Pueblo just won one of the most sought-after culinary recognitions in New Mexico. Isleta Grill is this year’s Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge Champion for their frybread version of a regional delicacy.

In northern Wisconsin, this year’s wild rice yields are low. The state Department of Natural Resources blames wind damage and heavy rainfall from a series of strong storms. It’s part of a pattern of diminished wild rice harvests in recent years.

Cherokees cross-bred and cultivated apple varieties when they lived in the southeast U.S., but when the federal government forced a majority of Cherokees to move to Indian Territory (Oklahoma), they left their orchards behind. Now one cultural group is reviving those lost varieties of apples along with the history that goes with it.

These are among the topics we’ll hear about on The Menu, a special feature of Native America Calling on Indigenous food sovereignty and stories with Andi Murphy.

GUESTS

Leticia Romero (Isleta Pueblo), owner of the Isleta Grill

Esiban Parent (Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe and Purépecha descent), Manoomin Wiidookaage for the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission

Amber Allen (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), project coordinator at the Noquisi Initiative

Elaine Eisenbraun, executive director of the Noquisi Initiative

 

Break 1 Music: The Wild One (song) Link Wray (artist)

Break 2 Music: Seeing Two (song) Deerlady (band) Greatest Hits (album)