On this day in 1976, a sandwich run that topped them all.
Elvis Presley flew from Graceland to Denver for a sandwich.
The King was chatting with some friends about how, on a trip through Denver, the locals had brought him to a place called the Colorado Mine Company, where they made a Fool’s Gold Sandwich.
They took an entire loaf of sourdough bread, hollowed it out, buttered it, baked it, and then filled it with a jar of peanut butter, a container of blueberry preserves, and a pound of bacon.
It was 8,000 calories, meant for 8 to 10 people and sold for $49.95.
The story goes that Elvis got so excited telling his friends about the sandwich that he decided he wanted – no, NEEDED – to have one immediately.
Never mind that he was at home in Memphis, Tennessee, Presley had a plane on call to take him anywhere he might feel like going.
So they alerted the restaurant that a VIP was flying to Denver and wanted as many Fool’s Gold sandwiches as they could crank out.
The cook, Nick Andurlakis, who a teenager at the time, went with the owners to the Denver airport to deliver the sandwiches.
He not only met Elvis, but got to eat with him on the plane.
And despite having just flown all the way to Denver, Elvis never left the plane!
Once he was done eating, he just flew right back to Memphis.
Nick Andurlakis would later open his own restaurant, Nick’s Cafe.
And of course, he put the Fool’s Gold sandwich on the menu, though he’s sold them for a lot less than $49.99 each.
Giant sandwiches, of course, are only one part of the world of Elvis food.
There’s so much more.
As a native of Tupelo, Mississippi, the King’s favorite recipes were often Southern recipes, though sometimes they had his own personal twist too.
Here’s a favorite his personal chef, Mary Jenkins Langston, recalled: grill a half a roll of bologna, basting it with vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper, salt and barbecue sauce as it cooks.
When you get to BBQ bologna, what else can you say?
Elvis Presley’s “Fool’s Gold” sandwich was born in Denver (Denver Post)
A Dish Fit for a King (NPR)
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Photo of Elvis Presley’s airplane, The Lisa Marie, by Like_The_Grand_Canyon via Flickr/Creative Commons
