Route 66- it's been called The Mother Road.  The Glory Road and America's Main Street.  It was 2,200 miles of pavement linking Illinois to California.  It was the road leading to opportunity and freedom - virtues that defined an entire culture.  And for the thousands who followed this asphalt ribbon form Chicago to the Pacific, it was a glorious taste of America.

The 1950's were heydays from Route 66.  With the windows rolled down and the radio blaring.  Folks took to the wide open road for the first time since the close of the World Wars, intent on not only reaching a destination, but enjoying the journey, as well.

Food was an integral part of those journeys.  This marked the nation's introduction to "fast" food, and its subsequent craze for hamburger stands, home style cafes and mall shops.

Perched on gleaming chrome counter stools, or nestled in cozy, vinyl-clad booths.  Folks felt at home in the dining spots on Route 66.  A well-worn menu offered comfort classics like meatloaf and mashed potatoes (lumps included), cheeseburgers, chili, and big, hearty breakfasts.  Deserts were displayed like prizes in a trophy case: fresh fruit cobblers featuring summer's just-ripe bounty and cream pies topped with lowering crowns of meringue.  Dairy shacks - the ones with giant plastic cows anchored to the roof - were all the rage.  Thick malts, rich shakes and root beer floats were "in" long before calorie-counting came into vogue.  By all accounts, Route 66 was the road to gastronomical paradise- a smorgasbord that passed through eight states and three time zones.  From the heartland, over the plains and through the desert southwest, the distinctive flavors and styles of a region were played out in its greasy spoons and drive-ins.  From the spicy zip of authentic red chili, to the mellow richness of warm bread pudding, anyone who's traveled this road has a special dish - and fond memories - to go back to.

Like Mom and apple pie, America has come to love the very idea of Route 66.  More than a highway concerning the Midwest to the Pacific Coast, this is a road that connected people.  Whether dining over coffee in small-town cafes, or spilling their sorrows in all-night diners, Route 66 brought hope - and indeed much happiness - to the generations who have traveled her way.