Food and Dining
Our friends in the quad-cities share their recipes, favorite drinks, best wines, and more!
Something New is Cooking in Prescott
Food, whether in the making or eating of it, has been a source of the community since humans began using fire. A uniquely food-centric form of community has just opened in downtown Prescott.
Having a commissary kitchen in Prescott has been the dream of many, especially Kathleen Yetman, Executive Director of Prescott Farmers Market (PFM.) She first saw the need for such a space when PFM conducted a feasibility study for a local food center in 2018.
Fast forward three years to PFM receiving grant funding from the Department of Agriculture, and now the dream has been realized through NoCo Community Kitchen. Named after its location, NoCo is bringing new life and new members of the local food community to North Cortez Street just two blocks from where PFM began 25 years ago.
Make Camping a Culinary Experience!
Summer is in full swing. The days are longer and the sun brighter; all the more reason to spend time outside and breathe in the fresh air. A favorite summer pastime of Yours Truly and the owner of Rafter Eleven herself, is camping out on the Rafter Eleven Ranch, with horses, quads, and kids in tow. As a family we would make our way across the open ranch land until we saw our campsite marker: the crooked double trees sitting in the middle of the peaceful openness.
Fresh, Fragrant, and Organic
If you walk down Costco’s coffee aisle anywhere in Arizona, you can pretty much assume that the dominant intoxicating aroma is emanating from the bags labeled Firehouse Coffee Roasters.
Traveling Through Taste: Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Edition
The new year has just begun, and much like you, we are ready to pack a bag and hop on the nearest flight to practically anywhere. As a local shop that curates our natural olive oils and balsamic vinegars from around the world, we thought we would take another trip through taste with you, just in case you’re not quite ready to book that ticket.
A Stress-Free Holiday Season … Is That Possible?
Now let’s skip ahead to December. It’s chilly and crisp during the day and the evenings are filled with cozy fires and marshmallows bobbing up and down in hot chocolate, in giant ceramic mugs. The holidays are in full effect, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, or any other type of gathering. Invites to spend time with family and friends are coming in the mail. While it’s always nice to be invited, it’s often hard to know what to bring for the hosts (and it’s impolite to show up to a house empty-handed). Rafter Eleven is the perfect place to create a unique and local gift for your hosts and hostesses. There’s something for the coffee obsessed, the wine lover, the gourmet food aficionado, and the avid learner (think vouchers for our paint-and-sip and cooking classes). You can create your own gift basket or give the Rafter Eleven team a budget and a theme and they can have it ready for pickup upon arrival!
Nutrition and Aging Gracefully
You may have heard the sayings, “Food is life,” or, “You are what you eat.” Well, I believe these sayings to be true and they are especially important to our senior population. As humans age, our bodies become more reactive to what we put in them. We also stop producing important vitamins and minerals, which impact how we feel.
Let Them Drink Wine!
The grape leaves surrounding Rafter Eleven’s patio have begun to turn, the days are getting a little shorter, and cooler temperatures are here to stay: autumn has arrived. Gone are the days of bikini-clad girls going to the pool and lathering up in sunscreen from head-to-toe, and here to stay through these cooler months is the importance of wellbeing and self-care. Pool season may be over, but health is forever and Rafter Eleven has all the necessities for you to be the happiest and healthiest version of yourself this fall.
Legacy, Love, and Family
Rafter Eleven is the heart of Prescott Valley. It is a symbol of community, a place of camaraderie, and an intersection where kind people, deep conversations, and delightful libations find their way to one another.
A Trip to Modena, Italy … Through Taste
Summer is in full force, which means longer days, lingering sunshine, and free time best spent outside. If you’re anything like us, you’re itching to book a trip overseas where you can soak up all the summer sun and explore international waters. However, for many, travel is still not an option.
The Inside Scoop
The Prescott Farmers Market (PFM) is bustling with friends and neighbors this time of year and is full of delicious and vibrant foods. Here, PFM staff share their favorite products and some pro tips to help you get the most out of your trip to the market.
Food, Family and Friends: The Best Recipe in Life
Prescott Valley was founded by ranchers, and even today the ranch is considered the heart of the land, giving life and sustenance to the people who live there. Much like the ranch, the kitchen is the heart of the home where the family (by blood or by choice) gather to connect over meals made with endearment.
Rafter Eleven loves being a part of your at-home cooking experience, whether it’s through using our olive oils and balsamic vinegars or our unique spices and decadent aiolis. At Rafter Eleven, we’re all about connections.
Wine Your Way Around the World
It’s 2021, the most coveted and sought-after year to date. You’re itching to hop on a plane to just about anywhere. Travel has been limited the past year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a trip through other means. Traveling through taste has always been a favorite pastime at Rafter Eleven … and we believe the best way to experience new places from the comfort of your home (or at your favorite community spot) is through wine. We invite you to join us on a first-class trip around the world. Grab your glass, sit back and relax. The trip has just begun.