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Writer's pictureBrian Theis

"The Elvis."

This one's a heartstopper. It's Elvis' favorite PB, banana and bacon sandwich. For the origins, we turn to Southern Living:


"As the story goes, after a 1976 concert, Elvis and his police bodyguards ventured to the now-closed Colorado Mine Company restaurant for a bite to eat. There, he ordered a Fool's Gold Loaf—a sandwich made with a loaf of sourdough bread, a pound of bacon, a jar of peanut butter, and a jar of jelly. (Estimates put the sandwich at a whopping 8,000 calories.)


Fast forward a bit, and back at Graceland, Elvis got a late-night hankering for the loaf. And just as any good rock 'n' roll legend would do, he hopped on his private jet with a couple of friends in tow and flew to Denver. The owners of the restaurant met him at the hangar with a pile of the enormous sandwiches (some say they brought 22, others say 30); he enjoyed his Fool's Gold Loaf without ever leaving the hangar (stories say he paired it with Perrier and champagne), then headed back to Memphis.


Of course, it should come as no surprise that the quirky combo was enough to make Elvis hop on a plane, as he's long been associated with a simpler (and much more manageable!) version of the Fool's Gold Loaf. His take included two pieces of bread, spread thick with creamy peanut butter, topped with sliced or mashed banana, crowned with thick strips of bacon, and fried in a skillet. It's this sandwich that's since become known as The Elvis, and variations of the King's signature snack appear on menus across the South."

I think this recipe from Veronica at Pantry & Larder comes close to reproducing what Elvis' staff might have made for him at Graceland.

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Elvis Presley's Fried Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich

Servings: 1 sandwich


Ingredients

2 ripe bananas cut into thin pieces

4 slices bread any kind will do

4 tbsp smooth peanut butter don't use extra smooth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 slices streaky bacon optional, but recommended


Instructions

Cook bacon (if using) in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until crispy. Reserve bacon and fat in the skillet.

Butter one side of each bread slice, then flip buttered-side-down. Spread peanut butter on the un-buttered side of all slices. Place banana pieces on two bread slices. Add bacon (if using) atop bananas.

Top with remaining bread slices, buttered-side-up, forming sandwiches. Warm skillet with leftover bacon fat (or oil/butter for vegetarian/vegan) over medium heat. Fry sandwiches on both sides until golden-brown and peanut butter slightly oozes (2-3 minutes per side).

Let sandwiches rest briefly before slicing. Serve promptly and enjoy.

'Cause that's a hunk-a hunk-a burnin' love!



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