How To Eat Like Elvis, If You Want To

Elvis Presley was a man of many talents. He could sing, he could dance, he could (more or less) play guitar, he could rock rhinestones and white leather jumpsuits like none other, and he sure knew how to eat. The King of Rock and Roll had some interesting tastes in food, and many of his favorite dishes have entered lore. Here are five foods that will allow you to commune with The King — for a little while, at least.

Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich
Elvis' favorite sandwich was famously made with a combination of peanut butter and sliced bananas on bread fried in a frying pan. Bacon makes an appearance in some accounts, and the sandwich can be fried in either butter or bacon fat. One report claims that a true Elvis sandwich was made with caramelized bananas and eaten on grilled Hawaiian bread.

The Fool's Gold Loaf
Invented at a restaurant in Denver called the Colorado Mine Company, the Fool's Gold Loaf is a a warmed and hollowed-out loaf of French bread filled with a jar each of peanut butter and blueberry preserves, along with a full pound of crispy bacon. Presley became so enamored of it that in 1976 he reportedly flew his friends on a private jet from Graceland all the way to Denver, where 22 of them were waiting. They spent the next several hours devouring them in a hangar at the airport with Perrier and Champagne. After the restaurant closed, the chef took the sandwich to nearby Nick's Cafe, where it can still be found today.  

Burnt Bacon Sandwich
To make this sandwich, you fry up bacon until it's nearly burnt, then crumble it up and mix it with mayonnaise, chopped canned black olives, and chopped pecans until it's a paste. Spread it all on white bread with the crusts removed, and enjoy!

Breakfast Bread
Elvis' favorite breakfast dish started with a defrosted loaf of frozen white bread dough, which would be flattened out and then rolled up with crumbled bacon, hot sausage, and grated mozzarella cheese, then baked for 30 minutes and served with eggs. That should chase away any hangover!

Meatloaf
Here's the recipe for Elvis' favorite meatloaf, from the authorized Elvis cookbook Graceland's Table: Recipes Fit for the King of Rock and Roll.

2 pounds ground chuck 
1 medium onion, diced 
1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced 
3 large eggs 
1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained 
Salt and pepper 
1 cup ketchup 
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar 
Dash of Worcestershire sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion, bell pepper, eggs, tomatoes, and green chiles. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, making sure all ingredients are blended. Place the meat mixture in an 8-by-8-inch baking pan, leaving a 1/2 inch around the sides. Bake for about 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until done.

While the meat is cooking, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Pour off any fat from the meatloaf and spread the brown sugar glaze over the top of the meatloaf for the final 10 minutes of cooking time.