In addition to being a cornerstone of American rock and roll, the creator of 30 top ten hits, and a tragic character in the most famous fable of celebrity, Elvis Presley was also a beast in the culinary world—especially when it came to midnight snacks.
There's his ultimate pound cake. Then there's his six-tier wedding cake that cost the same as a Chevrolet. There’s his last meal: four ice cream scoops and six chocolate chip cookies. There’s that woman in the East Village that bakes a chocolate cornbread twice a year to conjure his departed spirit.
And of course, there’s the most over-the-top late-night sandwich run of all time.
On February 1st, 1976, while Elvis entertained some friends at Graceland, a sandwich of mythical status—titled the Fool's Gold—came up in conversation. The sandwich, a novelty item at Denver’s Colorado Mine Company restaurant, was truly King-sized: an entire loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with peanut butter, fruit preserves, bananas, and bacon.
The King wanted the sandwich, and he wanted it immediately. So in a truly rock star-sized whim, he and his friends boarded his private jet, the Lisa Marie, and made the thousand-mile trek to Denver. All in all, this midnight junk food run cost today’s equivalent of $16,000. More importantly, the episode forever linked Presley's name to the peanut butter/banana/bacon sandwich, raising that particular ingredient combination's profile and inspiring thousands of hungry kids—including me—to eat like the King.
Or maybe even better than the King.
Stay with me now. I may not have Elvis's money, or fame, or private personal jet. But I do have his ambition. So instead of using bland white bread for my Elvis sandwich, I do one better. I use slices of banana bread for maximum banana flavor. Then I fry the sandwich in reserved bacon fat for ultimate crispiness. Finally, I drizzle honey over the whole thing because...well, because I'm the king of this sandwich, and I can.
If Elvis were alive (come at me, conspiracy theorists), I'd make him this sandwich during a late night jam session. This is how it's go down:
Cook 2 slices thick-cut bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8–10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and spoon off all but 1 Tbsp. bacon fat. Meanwhile, place 2 slices of Our Favorite Banana Bread on a work surface. Spread each with 1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter. Top 1 slice with 1/2 banana, sliced, 1 tsp. honey, and bacon, then close with the second slice. Heat reserved bacon fat in skillet over medium-low. Transfer sandwich to skillet, cover, and cook until bottom is golden, about 2 minutes. Flip sandwich, cover, and cook until golden, about 2 minutes more. Cut into quarters before serving.
A note on how to eat this: Elvis ate his sandwiches with a knife and fork at all hours, but with all due respect to his highness, I don't think you can do this sandwich justice that way. The Elvis sandwich is meant to be eaten with abandon, whether during a late-night munchies session or a late-morning meal to offset the night's shenanigans. So get messy with it. Don't worry—the King's not watching.
