Truth be told, Elvis liked bacon as much as he did peanut butter and banana sandwiches. His former cook Nancy Rooks says the King of Rock and Roll had a standing order for his first meal of the day, typically served in late afternoon: a pound of bacon fried extra crispy plus eggs, pancakes, toast and coffee.
Brady Lowe, founder of Cochon Heritage BBQ, is sure to hear the bacon story today at 11 a.m. when he is a guest on Sirius XM Elvis Radio, located at Graceland. Lowe is stopping by Elvis Radio before the three-day Labor Day blowout of barbecue and bourbon, set to kick off Friday evening with a Mixologist Rooftop Soiree at the Peabody. (In addition to craft spirits, students at L’Ecole Culinaire are cooking a whole heritage pig!)
Along with talking up the country’s first ever Heritage BBQ, Lowe will be spinning his favorite Elvis tunes because “he knows his Elvis the same way he knows his cochon,” said Elvis Radio night time DJ TY.
So what will Lowe play? The early Sun Studio recording, “Milkcow Blues Boogie;” the love song, “Just Because;” the amped-up rocker, “Fever;” and the all-time favorite of Sam Phillips, George Klein and Jerry Lee Lewis, “Don’t Be Cruel.”
Meanwhile, chefs and foodies nationwide are headed to Memphis for a remarkable line-up that includes food and cooking events in a variety of price ranges. Some are free, like the Main Street Market on Sunday; some are intimate, like the guest chef dinners; some are educational, like Sunday morning seminars on cocktails and craft American cheese; and some are don’t miss, like the tailgate party at Sweet Grass featuring Benton bacon and Bloody Mary’s made with heirloom tomatoes.
The best way to preview events and purchase tickets is to click here on heritagebbq.com and scroll through each day’s events. And one more thing: Don’t miss the Heritage BBQ’s showcase event on Sunday, where chef-driven teams will compete in a snout-to-tail barbecue cook-off.
Cochon Heritage BBQ, Aug. 31-Sept. 2, heritagebbq.com
