Photo by Ian Andreae/Mutineer Magazine

Mutineer Magazine’s Editor in Chief was recently named to Forbes 30 Under 30 list for food and wine and was asked to put together an auction lot for Food Network’s South Beach Food & Wine Festival to benefit Florida International University. Alan, wanting to do this big as he does all things, put together an incredible auction lot.

Bidders have a once in a lifetime opportunity to win the chance for two couples to dine with Ben Flajnik, winemaker at Envolve Winery & star of ABC’s “The Bachelor”, and Alan Kropf, Editor-in-Chief of Mutineer Magazine. The lucky winners will dine at Chef Victor Scargle’s restaurant “Lucy” located within the renowned Bardessono eco-luxury hotel in Yountville, CA. After a memorable dinner paired with delicious Envolve wines, both couples will stay the night at Bardessono in the lap of luxury. Both couples will also receive 2-year subscriptions to Mutineer Magazine.

Special Instructions

• Valid from May 1, 2012 – February 1, 2013.
• Dinner to happen at a mutually agreeable date.
• Package redeemable Sunday – Thursday nights based on availability.

Click here to bid on this incredible lot. Bidding closes March 5, 2012 at 7pm EST.

Special thanks to Envolve Winery, Bardessono, Teplin+Nuss, and Charlotte Milan Communications.

Napa’s Kitchen Door has teamed up with Folsom’s Lockdown Brewing Co. for a celebration of Northern California craft beer and great food. Kitchen Door, recently honored as a Michelin Guide Recommended Restaurant as well as one of Bon Appetit’s 7 Best Restaurants on Napa Valley, will be pairing three delicious courses with three great beers from Lockdown Brewing Co. on January 23rd including their Emma’s Blonde Ale, Sutter Street Common and Stony Bar Scotch Ale.

Tickets are very limited for this intimate dinner and are $65 each, tax and gratuity included.

Mutineer will be on hand at the event and we hope to see you there.

Call or email Tim Sebeberson ASAP if interested in attending.
707-226-1560 // [email protected]

From Thrillist:
This master creation from an award-winning Napa mixologist takes two weeks to make (yawn), and combines apple brandy, The King’s Ginger, lemon juice, sweet vermouth, egg white, grenadine, maraschino, Genever-style gin, an apple crisp garnish, and five drops of a gingersnap spice tincture that needs to spend 14 days being shaken in a jar with 151 and mixed spice, at which point it emerges ready to murder anyone who plays “Wannabe” ever again.

This cocktail, created by lead bartender Michael Jack Pazdon of Napa Valley’s Solbar at Solage in Calistoga was the winning cocktail of Mutineer Magazine’s The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition held November 6th. For those that missed this incredible event, learn how to make it yourself or take a trip up to Michelin-starred Solbar and have it be made by the master himself.

Be sure to check out Issue 22 of Mutineer Magazine for a full recap of The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition.

There was a great article by Emily Setsuko Shartin published in the Napa Valley Register today that does a nice job summing up the state of the Napa Valley cocktail scene.

Napa Valley has long been known for its wine culture, but with Mutineer now based in this legendary vino region, we couldn’t help but be amazed by the killer cocktail culture that has evolved through the valley’s restaurants and bars, hence The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition last week featuring some of the best local mixologists.

From the Napa Valley Register article:

Cocktail culture continues to see a renaissance across the country, and if local bartenders have anything to say about it, the Napa Valley is not being left behind. With its wealth of local ingredients and access to high-quality spirits, not to mention an epicurean clientele, the region has become fertile ground for creative bartenders who want to push the limits.
It was unmistakable earlier this week at a holiday cocktail competition and party hosted by Mutineer Magazine at the Napa Valley Opera House, where several local bartenders showcased their skills. The event was sponsored in part by Anchor Distilling Company of San Francisco, whose President David King said the company wanted to be involved in an event outside the city, and liked the up-and-coming nature of Napa’s cocktail scene.

To read this article in its entirety, click here.

CellarPass and TasteLive have announced its live streaming broadcast schedule for the 2011 Napa Valley Film Festival. Hosted by Editor-in-Chief Alan Kropf of Mutineer magazine, the one-hour daily broadcasts from marquee Napa Valley Film Festival events will take place on November 10th, 11th and 12th and feature a who’s who in regional winemaking, the culinary arts and special guests. Wine bloggers from around the U.S. will join the shows virtually to taste wines, post comments, and ask questions of guests.

“We’ll be producing five shows in three days,” said Kropf, “so we’ll be running the gauntlet of tight timelines and pushing the threshold of live-stream broadcasting. Along with our scheduled line up, we’ll be inviting talent off the red carpet for spontaneous interviews, and responding to questions posted by our blogger panelists. It’s going to be a bit of a thrill ride that should deliver some sweet surprises.”

Guests wishing to join the conversation can create an account in advance at TasteLive. Visitors traveling to the Napa Valley Film Festival are encouraged to use CellarPass’ industry-leading winery reservation system to book movie-inspired wine tasting itineraries and experiences and enter its sweepstakes to win an exclusive VIP trip to Napa Valley.

Napa Valley Film Festival TasteLive / CellarPass Streaming Broadcast Schedule

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10th 2011

OPENING NIGHT GALA
Robert Mondavi Winery, Oakville
8:00pm to 9:00pm
Go to TasteLive Event Page

Featured Winery & Wines
Robert Mondavi Winery
2009 Fume Blanc Reserve – $40
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – $135

Blogger Panelists
Bean Fairbanks, @WineBeerWA
Beau Carufel, @ucbeau
Dennis Atick, @decaturwinedude
Dezel Quillen, @myvinespot
Grace Hoffman, @cellarmistress
Lain Bradford, @winereview
Matthew Horbund, @mmwine
Megan Kenney, @sonadora
Thea Dwelle, @winebratsf
Continue Reading »

The 3rd Annual Mutineer Magazine Red Carpet Party came to a dramatic close on Sunday night as the winner of The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition was named. After a fierce competition with an array of cocktail submissions from one end of the spectrum to the other and with an absolutely world class panel of judges, Michael Jack Pazdon of SolBar at the Solage Resort in Calistoga was named the champion. Find his cocktail submission below.

The King’s Waes Hail
by Michael Jack Pazdon, SolBar

Combine all ingredients, aside from the genever, in a mixing glass, dry shake for 10 seconds, add ice, shake hard and double strain into a chilled coupe. Float dehydrated apple chip, fresh grated nutmeg, rosemary flowers, 5 drops gingerbread spice tincture and 5 drops Genevieve on top of foam.

*Bring 1 part fresh pomegranate juice to just below a simmer then add 1.2 parts granulated sugar, stir until dissolved. Let cool then add rose water to taste. Bottle and refrigerate.

**Grind 2 tsp. cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 9 black peppercorns. Grate 2 whole nutmegs. Toast gently in a pan, remove and combine with 1 oz. grated ginger and 1 c. over-proof rum in an airtight container. Steep for 2 weeks, shaking daily. Strain and bottle in a medicine dropper.

In second place, Jason Withrow of Yountville’s REDD with his cocktail “Rosey Cheeks”.

In third place, Matt Jerome of Napa’s Angèle with his cocktail “Fallen Apple”.

Michael Jack Pazdon announced as first place winner for The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition.

Competitors of The King’s Ginger Holiday Cocktail Competition pose on the red carpet with Anchor Distilling’s President David King.

Mutineer Magazine announces the addition of a new recurring column called “Inspired Beverage Voices,” created to celebrate regional innovators in the world of fine beverage culture. Each issue will now explore a different area, highlighting individuals working with local libations in inspired, new ways. With the support of No.3 Gin, the inaugural feature on Napa Valley will appear in the November 2011 edition and will introduce the nation to the new and innovative voices of TouteSuite Social Club, with Susan Quinn and Didier Loustau, Christophe Smith of Harvest Live, and Laura Levesque Page of The Healthy Junkie.

“It’s been said that a culture is defined by its articulate voices, so we couldn’t be more excited to highlight these new and inspired voices in beverage culture, beginning with Napa Valley,” says Mutineer Editor in Chief and Publisher Alan Kropf.

Today we celebrate the third and last of our Inspired Beverage Voices.

Laura Levesque Page R.H.N., a.k.a. The Healthy Junkie, beat three cancer diagnoses in her early ‘20s by turning away from drastic surgical methods and embracing the natural healing power of a healthy diet and lifestyle. “For me, health is simple: eat more vegetables,” she says. Her recipe for good health includes lots of beverages inspired by leafy greens and fresh juices, which she shares on her website and via Twitter. She also uses her wellness-centered blog, workshops and personal life coaching to inspire others to make better lifestyle choices.
thehealthyjunkie.com / @1healthyjunkie

Mutineer Magazine announces the addition of a new recurring column called “Inspired Beverage Voices,” created to celebrate regional innovators in the world of fine beverage culture. Each issue will now explore a different area, highlighting individuals working with local libations in inspired, new ways. With the support of No.3 Gin, the inaugural feature on Napa Valley will appear in the November 2011 edition and will introduce the nation to the new and innovative voices of TouteSuite Social Club, with Susan Quinn and Didier Loustau, Christophe Smith of Harvest Live, and Laura Levesque Page of The Healthy Junkie.

“It’s been said that a culture is defined by its articulate voices, so we couldn’t be more excited to highlight these new and inspired voices in beverage culture, beginning with Napa Valley,” says Mutineer Editor in Chief and Publisher Alan Kropf.

Today we celebrate the second of our Inspired Beverage Voices.

Christophe Smith is the founder of Harvest Live, an online portal that allows any person with a mobile device to experience a vineyard harvest and grape crush as it happens, without leaving the comfort of home. Inspired by all the “really cool stuff in Napa Valley that the consumer never gets a chance to see,” Smith’s creation uses an online streaming format that lets participants ask questions via moderated chat room or Twitter, and gives people all over the world a glimpse behind the scenes of a Napa Valley grape harvest. Archive footage is also available year-round on their website.
harvestlive.tv / @cork_dork