Another snowstorm in the Washington, DC area led me to search for cultural outlets that don’t require me to leave home. Today, I logged on to Hulu.com, a website that offers streaming video of television shows from networks like ABC, NBC and Fox, as well as documentaries, news, films and trailers.  I typically rely on satellite TV for such entertainment but have finally caught on to the Internet age of television. Today I selected Martin Yan’s Hong Kong, a cooking show located under the Food and Leisure section. I watched an episode called Rice and Shine, which I enjoyed because I was eating a leftover bowl of Jambalaya and rice that was cooked by my friend Derrick in honor of the New Orleans Saints for the Super Bowl —WHO DAT!

In this episode, Martin Yan discussed how rice is grown, the various types of rice from around the world and special rice dishes cooked in five star restaurants in Hong Kong. The episode gave brief cooking demonstrations for a Chinese version of sushi and “pearl” meatballs made in a bamboo steamer. I also watched an episode called International Flavors that took ingredients from the West and the East to make dishes such as Thai chili crabs, pizza and lamb chops.

While these shows are a great way to stay connected, I really can’t wait for the roads to clear up so I can experience the world locally through venues such as restaurants, museums and retail stores. However, in the meantime, if you are stuck inside like me, visit Hulu.com and search for shows by language, country or region.