How To Make Elvis Presley’s Famous ‘Fools Gold Loaf’ Sandwich
These days, knowing lots of details about your favorite celebrity’s life is as simple as following them on Instagram. But back in Elvis Presley‘s heyday, it wasn’t nearly as easy to get these kinds of tidbits.
Presley, who rose to fame as a rock n’ roll legend, managed to capture the hearts and minds of his fans in a way that left them curious about his daily habits and lifestyle. This fascination has left his famous Memphis home — dubbed Graceland — a key touchstone to his fame and legendary cultural influence.
It has also given fans insight into The King of Rock n’ Roll’s preferences — including his beloved snacks. Those who would like to eat like the King might be interested in learning the recipe for his famed “Fool’s Gold Loaf” sandwich.
Elvis Presley had an immense following
Sometimes it takes decades to really appreciate the cultural influence that a music legend has on the world, but Presley was able to see his fanatical reception during his meteoric rise to early fame. As Biography.com reports, Presley was born in Mississippi in 1935 and had become a national sensation by the mid-1950s.
Like many early rock legends, Presley got his influence from gospel music and transformed it into mainstream success. His mother gifted him a guitar at age eleven, and he won a talent show in high school, giving him a taste of the fame he wanted to live.
By 1955, Presley had been signed by RCA and was shocking audiences with his hip-gyrating dancing. He was drafted into the Army during the height of his fame, but it didn’t dampen the reception.
If anything, Presley returned to the states — complete with a teenager who would later become his bride — to even more love from his growing fanbase. A series of film appearances throughout the 1960s rose his profile even more.
Elvis Presley’s fame has outlived him
Presley seemed to have everything going for him when the bottom dropped out. He married his wife, Priscilla, in 1967 and welcomed a daughter soon after.
But by 1973, the couple had divorced, and Priscilla gained custody of their daughter, Lisa Marie. Meanwhile, Presley was struggling with drug addiction and battling poor health due to his substance abuse.
He was certainly no longer in his prime, but he continued to draw huge crowds in Las Vegas and on tour. His ills caught up to him, however, and he died of heart failure in 1977 at the age of just 42.
Presley’s fame and influence continued after his untimely death. While critics have pointed to Presley’s tendency to pursue much-younger women as a predatory feature and others have called out his vices, Presley continues to be a point of fascination and adoration for many Americans. Fans still flock to his Graceland home — now a major tourist attraction — and read the many books that have been written about his life all with the hopes of feeling more connected to the King.
Elvis Presley’s favorite sandwich hailed from Denver
One tidbit that fans have picked up about Presley is that he had a taste for a particular unique sandwich. This sandwich was originally created in a Denver restaurant called the Colorado Mine Company where it appeared on the menu under the name “Fool’s Gold Sandwich.”
The restaurant is now closed, but Nick Andurlaski recalls being a teenage cook when the King stopped by for a bite. As The Denver Post reports, the restaurant staff members were informed a VIP was coming in, and Andurlaski recognized Presley right away.
When Presley asked for a recommendation, the young cook immediately suggested the Fool’s Gold Sandwich, a sourdough loaf stuffed full of peanut butter, blueberry jam, and an ample helping of bacon. “I made a really nice one for him, served it on a miner’s plate with about two pounds of fruit,” Andurlaski recounted. Presley was so impressed that he would later return via private jet to get more.
The Colorado Mine Company may be closed for good, but Andurlaski took his legendary sandwich skills with him to Nick’s Cafe, which he owns with his wife, Kathleen. The new version replaced the blueberry jam with strawberry, but the gooey results are largely the same.
