Subject: So. Studies/Sciences: Geography/Cultures

PanAsia: Journeys in Asian Cuisine

Host Sian Richards takes viewers on an unforgettable journey across Asia, discovering the histories, cultures and exotic cuisines of China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Released in association with CCI, Releasing, Inc. Programs available on 26 individual DVDs, Digital Streaming Files or Videos; also in a 26-Disc Set. For pricing call in US: 800.876.2447/Intl. 603.434.9262 or e-mail
Also See: Food and Cooking Series

List of Titles

China: Hong Kong 1 - The Gateway to China

Hong Kong is known as "the gateway to China"; it is made up of four areas: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon City, the New Territories, and almost 250 Outlying Islands. As Sian Richards shows us, it certainly is a modern city, but too is steeped in Chinese traditions. In the Mong Kok Market, Chef Geoff Havilland prepares pan-seared Click for more

China: Hong Kong 2 - The City of Water

Hong Kong is an island city whose waterways are teeming with a unique waterside culture, unusual lifestyles and, of course, exotic seafood. Chugging along by sampan in Aberdeen harbor with photographer, Mr. Leung, host Sian Richards sees it's really a floating city all to itself, filled with barges, houseboats, ferries, Click for more

China: Macau - A Blend of Cultures

Macau is one of Asia's smallest and most charming cities, nine square miles east of Hong Kong along the Pearl River Delta. A Portuguese settlement for over 400 years, here you find a little piece of Portugal in China. Chef Felix prepares the evening meal, Pork Minchi, following a Macanese recipe; then host Sian Richards Click for more

India: Agra - The City of Everlasting Love

Agra was the capital of the Mughal Empire for more than two centuries; it is home to India's greatest architectural treasure, the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World; it embodies the mood and spirit of India and it is the ultimate symbol of undying love. Host Sian Richards' guide, Vivek, explains how Emperor Click for more

India: Goa - East Meets West

Host Sian Richards guides us across the former Portuguese colony of Goa. Lush and beautiful, with an 80-mile coastline, Goa is a collection of towns, and one of India's foremost tourist destinations. A blending of eastern and western cultures, along with one of the highest standards of living in all of India, gives Click for more

India: Jaipur - The City of Palaces

The northwest state of Rajasthan, which is almost 60% desert, boasts Jaipur - "the Pink City," "the City of Palaces," as its shining capital. It is one of the three cities that form India's golden triangle of tourism, the other two being Delhi and Agra. Host Sian Richard and Ajay Sharma start the tour of the Royal Click for more

India: Kochi (Cochin) and Kumarakum - The Backwaters of Kerala

The tropical state of Kerala, on the coast of the Arabian Sea on the tip of southwest India, is considered one of the most beautiful places on earth, and is famous for its floating culture. Kochi, the state's commercial and industrial capital, is a harbor city of peninsulas and islands; it too is the gateway to the Click for more

India: Kolkata (Calcutta) - The City of Classical Contrasts

Kolkata, formerly Calcutta, in one of India's largest cities, the capital of the state of West Bengal, and the country's cultural capital. It's a city of classical contrasts - the almost mythic Ganges River flows past modern buildings and monuments left over from the reign of Queen Victoria. Chef Pathuri Maach prepares Click for more

India: Mumbai (Bombay) - India's City of Dreams

Mumbai, formerly Bombay, is the capital of the state of Maharashtra, and is called India's "City of Dreams." It lies on the west coast looking out over the Arabian Sea, is the commercial capital of the country, and is also home to Bollywood, the largest film industry in the world. Host Sian Richards learns the secrets Click for more

India: Palace on Wheels - The Thar Desert of Rajasthan

Located in northwest India, almost 60% of Rajasthan's territory lies in the Thar Desert. Host Sian Richards begins her journey in style aboard the luxurious Palace on Wheels' train; here you are treated as if you are Indian royalty. She stops in Jaisalmar, which dates back to the 12th century, and visits Fort Jaisalmar, Click for more

India: Thekkady - The Land of Spices

Thekkady is known as "the land of spices"; it is a thriving village located in central Kerala, a small state in southwest India, which produces 25% of the entire world's spices. Host Sian Richards and her guide, Sadhir, visit a spice plantation where cardamon, nutmeg and pepper are harvested. Later in the program she Click for more

Indonesia: Bali 1 - Tropical Paradise

The Republic of Indonesia is a long thin chain of over 17,000 islands. Halfway along Indonesia's southern edge the province of Bali rises out of the Indian Ocean. Some say it is the last paradise on earth. Host Sian Richards couldn't disagree with them as she explores this tropical delight. Bali's rice fields we see Click for more

Indonesia: Bali 2 - Offering (Ceremonies and Rituals)

Bali is a place where ceremonies and rituals are an integral part of Balinese life, especially those of the Hindu faith, whose temples are found throughout the island; these are people who inspired by all that is creative, beautiful and divine. Host Sian Richards and her guide, Suyadnya, tour the home of the former Click for more

Indonesia: Lombok - Secret Hideaway

The quiet island of Lombok lies just east of Bali; it is a secret hideaway that remains virtually unexplored by tourists. Visited mostly by people who love snorkeling, scuba diving, boating and fishing, the island offers pristine beaches, a formidable volcano, Mount Rinjani, and quaint fishing villages, which host Click for more

Indonesia: Yogyakarta 1 - Heart of Java

Yogyakarta, which is the name of both the city and its surrounding region in central Java, is the cradle of Javanese culture in Indonesia. Host Sian Richards meets Budi, who welcomes her to his family's home, where she too will join him later in the program to prepare a traditional Indonesian dish, Pachal (Javanese Click for more

Indonesia: Yogyakarta 2 - Ancient Temples and Monuments

Yogyakarta is located in central Java in Indonesia, 270 miles east of Mount Merapi, an active volcano; it offers a kaleidoscope of ancient temples and monuments, colorful ceremonies and festivals, and centuries old culinary traditions. Host Sian Richards meets her guide, Bambang, at the Prambhanan Temple, an ancient Click for more

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur - Soaring Towers

Kuala Lumpur, more commonly referred to as simply K-L, lies in the hilly west central region of Malaysia; it is a busy modern place with a cosmopolitan air. Home to the soaring Petronas Towers, the tallest buildings in the world, the country's thriving capital presents a 21st-century spirit of progress. Yet one finds Click for more

Malaysia: Melaka - 600 Years of Tradition

South of Kuala Lumpur, on Malaysia's southern coast, the busy port city of Melacca is a treasure of history dating back over 600 years. Here one finds the unmistakable mix of China, Holland, Portugal and Malay in its architecture, culture and food. Host Sian Richards and her guide, Rajan, utilize the best way to tour Click for more

Malaysia: Penang - The Pearl of the Orient

Penang, an island off Malaysia's northwest coast in the Andaman Sea, is called "the pearl of the orient." Situated between India, China and Indonesia, it is one of the oldest British settlements in Malaysia. In the 18th century, Francis Light gave military assistance to a local sultan in return for the uninhabited Click for more

Singapore 1: A Food Special

Singapore, "the Lion City," is the world's busiest port and a fast moving, modern metropolis, which consists of the diamond-shaped Singapore Island and about 60 little islets. The capital, Singapore City, covers the entire island. Singapore is made up of an exotic blend of people from all corners of the globe and this Click for more

Singapore 2: History by Water

Singapore is a blend of old and new; famous for its colonial past, and its mix of colonial architecture, as well as its modern shopping centers. Host Sian Richards begins this tour taking in the city's rich history by water, riding a "Bump" boat along the Singapore River with her friend, Amen. She meets Chef Alex to Click for more

Thailand: Bangkok - The Venice of the East

Thailand's sprawling capital, Bangkok, lies in the heart of the country's center. It is a city that lives on its canals as much as it lives on its streets, which is why it is referred to as "the Venice of the East." While buses, tuk-tuks, motorcycles and taxis weave impatiently through traffic, host Sian Richards calmly Click for more

Thailand: Chiang Mai - The Rose of the North

Chiang Mai, with crumbling stone walls and a sparkling moat that surround the old city core, is called "the Rose of the North." It is Thailand's second largest city, the capital of the northern region, and a symphony of art, religion and nature. To begin her tour, host Sian Richards pays her respects at one of the Click for more

Thailand: Hua Hin, Prachuap - A Royal Gateway

Hua Hin can be called, literally, a "royal getaway"; it is Thailand's oldest beach resort and a seaside sanctuary; which was discovered by Thai royalty and made accessible to everyone by National railway. Host Sian Richards arrives at the elegant European style station, which was built, along with the lovely, colonial Click for more

Thailand: Kanchananburi - The River Kwai

Kanchanaburi, two hundred miles to the northwest of Bangkok, is best known for the most famous bridge in Thailand; this is the area well known for the Academy-Award winning film classic starring Alex Guinness, Bridge Over the River Kwai. Today, people come here to see the rugged natural beauty of the river and Click for more

Thailand: Udon Thani, Issan - The Cradle of Thai Civilization

Located in the Issan region of Thailand, the province of Udon Thani's history dates back over five thousand years - making it the oldest site of human habitation in all of Southeast Asia. Host Sian Richards meets with Professor Woranganvijya to tour the Phnom Rung Temple, which dates back nearly 600 years and has been Click for more