Drink Sichuan China’s passion for a blistering liquor To drink a glass of baijiu is to consume the distilled complexity of China in a single gulp and to appreciate all that the country represents, even if it tastes like—burning.
Know Sichuan Cultivating the concrete jungle There is hardly a plant on Earth that can’t grow in Sichuan, and the Sichuanese have made a point of growing everything they can year-round and finding a recipe for each fruit and tuber to boot.
Know Brazil The cane cutters of Brazil It was on this land that sugarcane became one of the pillars of the Brazilian economy.
Know Cuba The cowboys of Cuba Cuban rodeos feature mismatched and refurbished equipment that is several decades old, augmenting the sense of time travel to the Wild West.
Know Myanmar The human-powered Ferris wheels of Myanmar Workers use their own body weight to turn these 20-foot-high wheels common at pagoda festivals around the country.
Go Houston The perfect day in Houston Public art, Hindu temples, Asian malls, and delicious Oaxacan food.
Go Charleston Bourdain’s field notes: Charleston “What is down-home Southern cooking? Where did it come from?”