The Trough Is a glass of Minnesota wine in your future?

We have a busy food scene, one that includes both activists advocating taste and sustainability, as well as die-hard Midwesterners just looking for an old-fashioned burger without caring much about where their moo came from. The Trough is The A.V. Club’s roundup of local food news.

• When you think wine, your mind probably travels to places like France, Argentina, and Napa Valley, but there’s a slowly budding wine scene coming out of Minnesota, and believe it or not, a lot of it has to do with our frigid winter temperatures. Researchers at the University Of Minnesota, aided by a $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are working on developing even more crops of weather-resistant grapes that can stand temperatures as low as 33 degrees below zero. Existing weather-resistant grapes from the university are already found in the four most widely produced wines in Minnesota. The U is still figuring out the best way to market the wines to those outside of the state (especially considering the main draw so far seems to be about “buying locally”), but wine experts at the university are hoping Minnesota eventually experiences a bit of a wine boom, much like the one our frequent rivals in Oregon have undergone. (MN Daily)

• In other alcohol news, Fulton Brewery opened the doors to its brewery on Friday, making it the first production brewery in downtown Minneapolis. The location will eventually house a tap room. If you recall, Surly Brewing Company has been leading the charge to change Minnesota laws so that breweries can sell pints and growlers, but it’s Fulton that gets to be the first to take advantage of modified rules that will allow them to use the half-gallon, 64-ounce refillable glass containers of beer that are used to sell customers take-out beers. And, honestly, who doesn’t need a half a milk jug full of beer? (Metro)

• Pearson’s Salted Nut Rolls have been a St. Paul institution and staple of fundraising for children for generations, but we must remember that sometimes even legacies can be tested. If the Star Tribune’s review of Lucia’s To Go’s own variation of the beloved dessert is any indication, it appears this confectionary institution has a challenger. (Star Tribune)

• And since The Trough only has alcohol and sweets on its mind today, we’d be remiss not to mention the news that Afton’s own Selma’s Ice Cream Parlor will reopen its doors this spring after being shuttered due to foreclosure in 2009 after nearly 70 years of business. A family from Houlton, Wisconsin with six kids bought the property, which means you’ll probably see a gaggle of children scooping your Zanzibar dark chocolate ice cream like it’s an episode of the friggin’ Waltons. (Pioneer Press)