McMurry Communications
  • Home
  • Meet
  • Services
  • Work
  • Contact
  • Kitchen Traveler
  • Press

Kitchen Traveler

    Travel with KT

Subscribe to Newsletter

La romandie, switzerland

2/16/2021

1 Comment

 
  ​The kitchen is open-

My mother's maternal ancestors were French-speaking Swiss, which might explain my inherent inclination toward speaking the language and never meeting a cheese or chocolate I didn't like. Until we can experience these pleasures in western Suisse- Romande, which includes four solely French-speaking cantons, three bilingual cantons where both French and German are spoken, and where mesmerizing beauty oozes alongside Gruyère and Emmentaler, enjoying a bubbling fondue on a cold winter evening at home is the next best thing.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Le coup du milieu: Shots of Kirsch halfway through to aid digestion
Picture
La religieuse: the final remnants of bottom crust to be savored and shared
​Fondue Suisse

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Cro​ûte au Fromage Suisse  | Absinthe

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Filet de Truite  | Nüsslisalat


Picture
Picture
Picture
Rösti Valaisanne

Picture
​Papet Vaudois

Picture
Carac

Picture
SIDE DISH

​The Swiss were not the first to make portable timepieces, but rather Germany and France, respectively. It was Switzerland's position of neutrality during 16th century  religious conflict that attracted watch makers from other parts of Europe seeking a more stable economic climate.

Picture


​Kitchen Traveler is the creative brainchild of Michele McMurry and husband Doug, who together recreate global flavors from their cozy galley kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. While our passion for wandering and savoring is not new, our appreciation for such experiences ─ that for now remain on hold ─ is deeper than ever.

1 Comment

oaxacA

2/3/2021

2 Comments

 

The kitchen is open-

When we mentioned enthusiastically that KT would attempt our first Oaxacan mole, reactions gave us pause. From groaning and eye rolling to, "You're making it from scratch?" Pero si!  Because we share a mutual food love for mole negro, the tedium of preparing it ourselves seemed a must for our kitchen journey.  After plodding meticulously through each step (that included toasting and grinding 700 grams of chilies) and fearing that I might accidently drift off during the final late night simmer, a beautiful thing emerged. Velvety, smoky-sweet, complex flavor with just the right heat. Feeling emboldened, we hit the streets of Oaxaca City to taste more.


Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Mole Negro con Pollo  | Arroz Primavera

Picture
Salsa de Chapulines

Frijoles Negros Refritos

Picture
Picture
Picture
Desayuno Memelas Oaxaqueñas


Picture
Picture
Salsa Cruda de Tomate Verde  
Salsa Pasilla de Oaxaca

Picture
Botanas

Picture
Ensalata de Nopalitos

Picture
Tlayuda con Cecina

Empanadas Oaxaqueñas
Flor de Calabaza y Quesillo ​ | Huitlachoche


Picture
SIDE DISH
​Unlike tequila, which is distilled strictly from blue agave, mezcal can be made from many varieties. Most mezcals are produced in Oaxaca due to the region's rich biodiversity and abundance of agave varieties for the choosing. Be it a celebration, homage to the dead or just because, there's always good reason to sip.

Para todo mal, mezcal, y para todo bien, también.




Picture





​Kitchen Traveler is the creative brainchild of Michele McMurry and husband Doug, who together recreate global flavors from their cozy galley kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. While our passion for wandering and savoring is not new, our appreciation for such experiences ─ that for now remain on hold ─ is deeper than ever.
​

2 Comments

emilia-romagna, italy

1/20/2021

2 Comments

 
The kitchen is open-

This week, KT lived la dolce vita, tasting our way through Italy's epicurean Emilia-Romagna region. Its geographical diversity across nine provinces of coast, mountains, pastureland and deltas enables the area to produce 47 food ingredients with Protected Geographical Indication status, the most countrywide. We conquered risotto, pasta and polenta - a starch trifecta - along with the local salumi and formaggio.  And the Balsamico?  Oh my.
Picture
Antipasti
Salumi - Prosciutto di Parma  | Coppa  | Mortadella
Formaggi - Parmigiano Reggiano  | Grana Padano
Pera  | Aceto Balsamico di Modena  | Focaccia ​ | Lambrusco

Picture
Polenta alla Bolognese

Picture
Ravioli com Spinachi

Picture
Frittata algi Carciofo  

Picture
Insalata di Radicchio
Picture
Risotto alla Vongole

Picture
Fragole all'Aceto Balsamico di Modena

Picture
Picture
SIDE DISH

Gastronomy shares center stage with opera in Emilia-Romagna, birthplace of composer Giuseppe Verdi and tenor Luciano Pavarotti, and where stunning, historic opera houses dot each province. Pavarotti debuted his opera career at Teatro Reggio Emilia. The Teatro Comunale in Modena, where Pavarotti was born and spent his life, was renamed Teatro Comunale Luciano Pavarotti following his death in 2007.


Picture



​Kitchen Traveler is the creative brainchild of Michele McMurry and husband Doug, who together recreate global flavors from their cozy galley kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. While our passion for wandering and savoring is not new, our appreciation for such experiences ─ that for now remain on hold ─ is deeper than ever.

 

2 Comments

Québec

1/4/2021

4 Comments

 
The kitchen is open-

December evoked nostalgia for Québec City, which we visited around this time last year. Originally intended as a summer getaway - enjoying vast green space, concerts en plein air and scenic adventures along the Saint Lawrence River - our rescheduled winter trip required both a wardrobe and an itinerary redo. It was hardly the travel experience we would have sought out intentionally. And, despite single-digit temperatures, one we've been dreaming about ever since. Encountering the unexpected, we were reminded, can enhance our travel experiences in surprising ways.  In this case, once verdant parkland that was equally beautiful when blanketed with snow, and hearty cuisine that tasted all the better by a roaring fire.
Picture
Poutine

Picture
Tourtière au Lapin
Picture
Salade de Romaine et Betterave avec Fromage Bleu

Picture
 Crêpes à la Québécoise

Huîtres | Mignonette Balsamique Blanc

Picture
SIDE DISH
In addition to satisfying a craving for poutine, traveling to Québec inspired me to dust off my college modern language studies and converse with the province's mostly native Francophone population. While much of Canada toggles between French and English, Québec is the only Canadian province to claim French as its sole-official language. As with other regional variants of Canadian French, Québécois reflects its unique convergence of indigenous tongue with French and British influence.


Picture



Kitchen Traveler is the creative brainchild of Michele McMurry and husband Doug, who together recreate global flavors from their cozy galley kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. While our passion for wandering and savoring is not new, our appreciation for such experiences ─ that for now remain on hold ─ is deeper than ever.
​

4 Comments

india

12/9/2020

1 Comment

 
​The kitchen is open-

Aromas of cardamom, coriander and cumin fill the KT kitchen, which recently debuted Indian cuisine - a style of cooking we've enjoyed in restaurants but were intimidated to undertake at home.  In selecting a country so regionally and culinarily diverse, yet uniformly reliant on, and abundant with pulses, we decided to join India's sizeable vegetarian population and ditch the meat. Aloo papd chaat, exploding with color and textures, transported us to the chaotic streets of Delhi. Chutneys, tangy, sweet and sour, to 
Gujarati. Earthy, buttery dal, to northern Punjab. Our adventure was gratifying and unexpectedly satisfying. ​
Picture
Picture
Aloo Papad Chaat 
Ambli Kajur Ni Chatni | Fondina Anna Dahi Nu Chatni

Picture
Roti

Picture
​

Chili Paneer Chaat

Picture
Samosa Chaat

Picture
Chana Masala

Picture
Masala Chai

Picture
Masala Amlet

Picture
Dal Makhani
Jeera Pulao 
| Lasan Waru Raita 

Picture
SIDE DISH

Masala performs double duty in Indian culture. First as the country's signature spice mixture, and secondly as a blending of film genres in internationally popularized Hindi cinema, Bollywood. "Yaadon Ki Baaraat" (1973) is recognized as the first of such films, bringing nearly three hours of action, comedy, romance, melodrama and music.


Picture




​Kitchen Traveler is the creative brainchild of Michele McMurry and husband Doug, who together recreate global flavors from their cozy galley kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. While our passion for wandering and savoring is not new, our appreciation for such experiences ─ that for now remain on hold ─ is deeper than ever.

1 Comment

russia

11/25/2020

0 Comments

 
 The kitchen is open-

When most people think of Russia, vodka, ballet and geopolitical conflict come to mind. These things, along with ornamental architecture and diverse, far-reaching landscapes stretching five climate zones earned Russia a place on our bucket list travel board. But, not the food. Which is why this week, KT enters the belly of the bear to explore a cuisine so influenced by abundant geography and a dynamic political timeline. We looked first to old Russia for authentic menu inspiration. Our zakuski, a distinguishing element of Russian food history and culture, includes a variety of cold and hot offerings. 
Picture
Caviar
​Russkaya Traditsionnaya Lososevaya Ikr
a | Chernaya Zhemchuzhnaya Ikra  | Bliny
Picture
Myasnoy Pirog
Picture
​Shuba Salat
Picture
Gribi v Smetane  | Borodinskij
Picture
​Russkiy Zavtrac
Grechka Kasha  | Slavnaya Rozh  | Varen'ye



Picture
Solen'ya
Picture
Shchi

Picture
SIDE DISH
​

Our virtual travels to Russia included a side trip outside of the kitchen via our living room, which houses a collection of Russian Lacquer brought back from then USSR by my parents in 1989. This miniature box, created by a master artisan in the village of Kholui, draws inspiration from Russian mythological and historical painter Viktor Vasnetsov to depict "The Tale of the Young Guard and the Merchant Kalashnikov." Serving under the reign of Tsar Ivan, a handsome young oprichnik seeks the affection of a merchant's married daughter.

"He caught my hands in his and spoke to me in a whisper." 




Picture



​Kitchen Traveler is the creative brainchild of Michele McMurry and husband Doug, who together recreate global flavors from their cozy galley kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. While our passion for wandering and savoring is not new, our appreciation for such experiences ─ that for now remain on hold ─ is deeper than ever.

​

0 Comments

brasil - bahia

11/17/2020

1 Comment

 
 The kitchen is open-

In 2013, we traveled to Brazil for a milestone birthday. What would normally take about three hours to drive from Paraty - the final destination of our trip - back to Rio de Janeiro/Geleão International Airport stretched into a grueling six-hour return. Learning that my birthday fell during the weekend in November when locals celebrate Proclamação da República do Brasil  eased the sting one often feels when good things come to an end, and rather reinforced that I was destined to be there. Our 2013 itinerary included Rio de Janeiro, Ilha Grande and Paraty, each magical in its own way. This week, KT returns to Brazil's northeastern state of Bahia to experience Afro-Brazilian cuisine, known for satiating seafood stews that incorporate coconut and the African palm oil, dendê. Our preparation of Feijoada, the country's national dish, honors both my birthday and the birth of Brazil as a republic.

"Saudade," not translatable from Brazilian Portuguese, refers to feelings of longing or yearning and dreamful wistfulness.

Picture
Petiscos
Acarajé | Vatapá  | Coquetel de Caipirinha

Moqueca de Peixe
Farofa de Ovo e Cebolinha  | Arroz Tradicional ​ | Feijão Carioca |
 Pão de Queijo


Picture
Picture
Picture
 Café da Manhã Brasileiro
Tapioca "Beiju" com Manteiga e Coco Rallado 
 |  Açai

Picture
Feijoada
Farofa de Dendê  | Couve  | Arroz Tradicional  | Laranja



Picture
SIDE DISH

Samba music and dance as we know it developed in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, where today Samba schools from the city's poorer neighborhoods fill the streets during Carnival. While most commonly  associated with the pre-Lent celebration, samba's entry into Brazil begins in Bahia, where Portuguese settlers brought slaves from Africa to harvest sugarcane. What began as cultural expression from colonial past continues to shape language, religious practice, music and food.
​
​


Picture
​​Kitchen Traveler is the creative brainchild of Michele McMurry and husband Doug, who together recreate global flavors from their cozy galley kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. While our passion for wandering and savoring is not new, our appreciation for such experiences ─ that for now remain on hold ─ is deeper than ever.

1 Comment

argentina

11/3/2020

3 Comments

 
The kitchen is open-

Argentina. Land of Tango, Malbec, impeccably raised beef and the "Paris of South America." This week KT takes in Buenos Aires for its quaint bodegones and overall cosmopolitan ooze. We tasted our way through Mendoza, which claims 70 percent of Malbec vineyards worldwide despite the grape's French origin, and the estancias of La Pampa to appreciate a slow-cooked asado. An Argentine beef, vegetable and dried fruit stew, cooked and served in a gutted pumpkin, surprised and equally satisfied our culinary curiosity.
​
Picture
Picture
Carbonada en Zapallo
Picture
Empanadas Mendocinas​
Picture
Merienda
Yerba Mate | Empanadas 

Empanadas de Chaclo​
Picture
Desayuno Argentino

Medialunas y Vigilantes
Dulce de Leche


Provoleta
Picture
Asado
Chorizo | Asado de Costillar | Morcilla




​Un aplauso para el asador!
Picture
​Chimichurri
Picture
Choripán
Picture
Ensalada Criolla
Picture
Picture
iBuen Provecho!

Picture
SIDE DISH

First conceptualized as rock opera, "Evita"​ found the stage in 1978 in London's West End, receiving the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical. The tangled life story of Argentine First Lady and politico Eva Perón quickly made its way to Broadway with more than 1,500 performances and seven Tony Awards. Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice's acclaimed "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" holds an Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.

Don't cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance
​


Picture
Kitchen Traveler is the creative brainchild of Michele McMurry and husband Doug, who together recreate global flavors from their cozy galley kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. While our passion for wandering and savoring is not new, our appreciation for such experiences ─ that for now remain on hold ─ is deeper than ever.

3 Comments

morocco

10/27/2020

1 Comment

 

The kitchen is open-

It's difficult not to be enchanted by the Kingdom of Morocco, blending old and new with its walled medinas, palaces and souks spilling vibrant wares, snake charmers and storytellers. This week, KT looks at the story of food in Morocco, an ingredient-rich country known for incomparable citrus, and exotic, fragrant spices that create intensely flavorful dishes. Many cultures engage in daily tea rituals, and a Moroccan culinary journey would be incomplete without experiencing mint tea at its roots, grounded in respect for the tea's "soul" and "crown," and in hospitality to all who share.
Picture
Naval Orange with Orange Blossom Water and Mint
Picture
Harissa
Picture
Chermoula

Picture
Moroccan Grilled Fish
Aubergine | Mechouia


Picture
 Moroccan Breakfast
Picture
Khobz
Picture
Amlou
Picture
Atay Bi Na'na
Picture
​Kefta Mkaoura
Picture
Couscous Tfaya
Picture
Feggous
Picture

Picture
SIDE DISH
​

Morocco's Western literati, comprised of inspiration seekers as diverse as the country itself, includes American expatriate and prolific writer and composer Paul Bowles, whose works of fiction often featured travelers to exotic locales entangled in existentialist unrest. George Orwell wrote "Coming Up For Air" while in Morocco, and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tennessee Williams tapped his muse while vacationing in Tangier to pen "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." Mark Twain documented his Moroccan travels in "The Innocents Abroad," as did Jack Kerouac, co-pioneer of The Beat Generation, in "Desolation Angels."

"To visit Morocco is like turning the pages of some illuminated Persian manuscript all embroidered with bright shapes and subtle lines." - From "In Morocco" by Edith Wharton, first woman Pulitzer Prize winner for "The Age of Innocence."



Picture
Kitchen Traveler is the creative brainchild of Michele McMurry and husband Doug, who together recreate global flavors from their cozy galley kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. While our passion for wandering and savoring is not new, our appreciation for such experiences ─ that for now remain on hold ─ is deeper than ever.

1 Comment

germany

10/13/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
The kitchen is open-

Kartoffel, bier, more kartoffel, and lots of bier! October seemed a fitting month to visit Deutschland, and so this week KT brings a homegrown Oktoberfest before traversing Germany's southern and central regions. We enjoyed bratwurst and schnitzel, Bavarian style, Swabian kartoffelsalat, Grüne Sosse as they do in Frankfurt, Leipziger Allerlei of western Saxony, and traditional Sauerbraten and wines from the Rhineland. Haben sie hunger?
​

Picture
Picture
Bratwurst | Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat | Bier!

Picture
Grüne Sosse
Picture
Picture
​Rahmschnitzel | Leipziger Allerlei
Picture
Bauernfrühstück
Picture
Picture
Sauerbraten
Rotkohl | Kartoffelknödel




Picture



Side Dish


​

​In addition to the great Bs ─ Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms ─ Germany's diverse music heritage claims more than 100 classical composers who lived, worked or shaped careers there. This year marks 210 years of Oktoberfest, the world's largest festival, celebrating the marriage of Bavarian Prince Regent Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen with food, beer and oompah. 

​Der Gemütlichkeit!



Kitchen Traveler is the creative brainchild of Michele McMurry and husband Doug, who together recreate global flavors from their cozy galley kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. While our passion for wandering and savoring the globe is not new, our appreciation for such experiences ─ that for now remain on hold ─ is deeper than ever.
0 Comments
<<Previous

    AuthorS

    Food and travel enthusiasts Michele and Doug McMurry  journey to global destinations by way of their home kitchen in San Antonio, Texas. 

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

© 2018 McMurry Communications
  • Home
  • Meet
  • Services
  • Work
  • Contact
  • Kitchen Traveler
  • Press