Minnesota on tap

"One of a kind" isn't always the case, but the Sotapitcher may be the real deal. It's a 16-ounce stoneware pitcher/beer stein in the shape of Minnesota, produced by the iconic Red Wing Pottery & Stoneware studios. The hook is the "Nice Pint" partnership that creator Eric Darling forged with breweries around the state, so that pitchers (or 1-ounce shots) feature logos from Finnegans Brewing Co., 612 Brew, Excelsior Brewing Co., Jack Pine Brewery, Kinney Creek, Red Wing Brewery, Summit Brewing Co. or Third Street. For each brewery, there are 25 Sotapitchers and Sotashots available online at sotapitcher.com.

Inspired by the German tradition of quaffing beer from a boot-shaped glass, Darling and his partners worked with 3-D printers to develop their prototypes, then connected with Red Wing potters for production. The pottery studio also has its own decorative designs, such as the classic Sponge print, the Minnesota state seal and others (www.redwingstoneware.com).

At the Sotapitcher site, designs beyond the brewery logos include pitchers and shot glasses with a heart over the Twin Cities, or simply the word, "Nice." Get it? The 16-ounce pitcher/steins are $34.95, with shot glasses at $17.95. If you want to save on shipping, you can arrange to pick them up in Red Wing.

Responsible chocolate

Two local food stalwarts have combined delicious forces to create a product that tastes good and does good. B.T. McElrath Chocolatier and Dunn Brothers Coffee are selling the Changemaker Chocolate Bar, with 20 percent of profits going to the Minneapolis-based American Refugee Committee. The 3-ounce bars combine McElrath 70 percent dark chocolate with crushed espresso beans. The $6 bars are available at select Dunn Brothers locations and online at www.btmcelrath.com.

Popped wild rice is nice

Thumbing through a new cookbook, our eyes snagged on a recipe for a kale salad with popped wild rice. Really? Turns out the technique isn't new, but perhaps could be better known. "Greens + Grains," by Molly Watson (Chronicle, $19.95), says to pop the wild rice as you would popcorn, heating a small amount of vegetable oil in a heavy pan with a tightfitting lid, adding 1/4 cup of wild rice, then covering and shaking over high heat until the kernels "pop," about 2 minutes. They don't pop like popcorn, but do split and slightly swell. We found that cultivated wild rice worked a bit better than field-harvested rice, resulting in more crackle than crunch. The rice paired wonderfully with a bowl of torn dinosaur kale dressed with a kicky vinaigrette. Here's the recipe.

Spicy vinaigrette

Makes 5 tablespoons vinaigrette.

Note: From "Greens + Grains," by Molly Watson.

• 1 tbsp. red wine or sherry vinegar

• 1 tbsp. agave syrup or honey

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

• 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt

• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine the vinegar, agave syrup, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt, and let rest for 15 minutes to allow the pepper flakes to infuse the vinegar. Then whisk in the olive oil.

STAFF REPORTS