Keeping up with the Tanakas

Toshi was watching a TV program last night and he called me in because he knows my heart so well. The program was all about a man traveling the world to see what the McDonald's in different countries offer on their menus. Yep. And it is a series! Two different countries a week! This would be the perfect job for me. I want to visit different countries and see everything, however when it comes to eating, I am not adventurous and my tastes are very lowbrow. This fact is so well known that when I told my friend Kate I was marrying Toshi, one of the first things she asked me was how I planned to live in a country whose cuisine I do not thoroughly enjoy. The answer, of course, lies in the fact that there is a McDonald's near almost every station in said country. Still, during our six week stay in California, I think we visited McDonald's twice and that was more for the kids than me (I, myself, would head straight to Del Taco). But you see, McDonald's is so widely available in Japan that it has become a comfort food for my kids. When they start missing Japan and all that is familiar to them, is it udon that they seek out? No, it is McDonald's. Yes, they are my children. Sam even fell in love with Carl's, Jr. while we were there (I know, I know, aside from the obvious health concerns many readers may have running through their minds, with Carl's there is the added guilt of political concerns, but that Western Bacon Cheese Burger just gets the better of me every time). When we would pass one of those huge, smiling, yellow stars, Sam would say, "Happy Star! French Fries!" No, I did not stop for him and things aren't as bad as I am making them out to be. The kids did readily share the sashimi their father ordered in a restaurant one night, so I haven’t completely ruined them. Mina was thrilled to discover that one of her favorite dining options in Japan also has restaurants in The States. “Mommy!” she said to me in the car as we were driving in California, “there’s Denny’s in America!” Poor thing, her little world is so confused. It is time for me to get dinner started. I’ll give you one guess at what we are having . . .