It is a marriage made in hell's kitchen.
Meet the groom -- Mr. American Cuisine. Don't snicker at his name. For he is sensitive and quick to remind you that his linage includes the likes of clam chowder and lobster, roast turkey and apple pie, baked beans and hominy grits, plus jambalaya and other zesty Creole delights. He is not amused when people categorize him as a Happy Meal mix of cheeseburgers, hot dogs and french fries. Yet instead of a tux, he is dressed in the garb of a pizza delivery boy.
Meet the bride -- Ms. Japanese Innovation. She wears a sparkling gown of gizmos, gadgets and good ideas. She's got an old Walkman clipped to her waist, a Tamagotchi dangling from her neck, a digital camera in one hand and a Game Boy in the other, and might even have an endoscope up her end -- except typically that's not where those contraptions go. She also has yen signs flashing in both her eyes.