And for some reason, I didn't even think they were open more than about an hour a day.

Drive-in food

Does the smell of onion rings in your car drive you wild with desire?

Check out the May issue of Gourmet magazine, where you'll find a list of 10 places to get a great meal without getting out of your car.

Some of these classic drive-in restaurants will even hang a tray on your rolled-down car window.

You won't find anything fancier than french fries, hamburgers and cole slaw at most of the spots on the list, but as any connoisseur can tell you, it's worth driving out of your way for a perfectly battered corn dog. Frozen custard, chili dogs and ribs are also typical offerings.

Gourmet's 10 great places for drive-in food are the Beacon Drive-In, 255 John White Sr. Blvd., Spartanburg, S.C.; the Cozy Dog Drive In, 2935 S. Sixth St., Springfield, Ill.; Harry's Place, 104 Broadway, Colchester, Conn.; Jay Bee's, 320 Mocksville Highway, Statesville, N.C.; Jobe's, 1220 W. Sunset Drive, El Reno, Okla.; Leon's, 3131 S. 27th, Milwaukee; Mug-n-Bun, 5211 W. 10th St., Indianapolis; Sugar's, 1799 Highway 68, Embudo, N.M.; Tastee Inn & Out, 2610 Gordon Drive, Sioux City, Iowa, and Taylor's Automatic Refresher, 933 Main St., Helena, Calif.

Mom was unimpressed. "Johnnie's Grill was in Gourmet three years ago." And on public radio two years before that, not that she listens to The Splendid Table. (To the end of my days, I will never be used to Johnnie's, or anything else, being at "301 S. Rock Island.")

And, of course, all this serves to remind you all that Saturday is the 17th Annual Onion-Fried Burger Day Festival here in the Crossroads of America. Come on out and get a piece of the world's biggest onion-fried burger, then wander around and watch other people eat theirs. Or, like last year, perhaps you'll have some fried onion ectasy. Great small-town fun for everyone.