Rick Bayless (host of the PBS-TV series Cooking Mexican extensively explores Mexican cookery, analyzing particular national characteristics as well as regional variations of the complex cuisine. He traces the history of Mexican food from the humble squash and beans of thousands of years ago to a cuisine that came to include chiles, corn and the orchard bounties (coconut, pineapple, avocados) of the conquering Spanish. Mexican dishes familiar to Americansthe enchiladas, tamales and tacos that are more properly classified with North American Southwestern cookingare included, but the most interesting recipes are the more exotic: Native American-influenced, spice-sweetened food from the Oaxaca region and simple, European-influenced seafood and vegetable dishes of the Gulf states. The author explains how common flavors (tomatoes, chiles, coriander, lime, onion, garlic) are transformed by proportion and cooking method to produce the regional differences.

The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special in 3D On Ice HDTV (2010) | 352MB

Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock takes on the behemoth task of documenting 20 years of the global phenomenon that is The Simpsons. In his distinctive and innovative style, the unprecedented one-hour special follows Spurlock as he sets off on a cross-country globe-trotting mission combing the streets for interviews from fans young and old. His travels take him from the home of The Simpsons biggest fan to the organization at the center of the show’s biggest controversies to landmarks such as the birthplace of “Groundskeeper Willie” and the Springfield Isotopes’ playing field. In addition, Spurlock talks to cast, writers and celebrities about the undying cultural obsession with The Simpsons.