Today’s drink is inspired by someone who embodied the “rags to riches” story, whose fame was seemingly beyond measure, and who became both the face of a nation and a cultural icon. But also, someone who, beneath the public persona, was a character of depth, purpose, and tragedy.

I call this drink Your Diet has Left the Building fashioned after Elvis Presley, the king of rock n’ roll himself. It was inspired by the King’s favorite sandwich: peanut butter, banana, and bacon, yes, bacon!

The drink looks like a simple vanilla milkshake, but inside it has some boozy elements that really take it to a whole new level.

Now some may ask, “Why make a shake?” Well one, why not? And two, because we’re talking about the king of rock n’ roll! Doesn’t he deserve a drink as flashy, decadent, and indulgent as he appeared to be?

I think so.

Besides, what could be more stereotypically 1950s than Elvis and milkshakes, right? Just get us some roller skates and we’ll be transported to one of those iconic diners so popular during his time. However, unlike a normal milkshake, this drink has surprising depth, like Elvis himself.

Elvis’ public persona, as with many celebrities, was almost a character unto its own, born out of necessity to maintain his public reputation and satisfy the expectations of millions. But at heart, Elvis was a momma’s boy, a poor kid from Tupelo, Mississippi, with a big heart, and bursting with so much nervous energy that it seemed to explode out in his performances, resulting in what we know today as his signature and controversial sensuality.

On September 9, 1956, Elvis appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and 82 percent of the nation, around 60 million people at the time, tuned in to watch the first nationally televised performance of the musical phenomenon. His swaying and dancing hips enticed infatuation and caused screams of women across the nation, but his suggestive moves were censored for being too sexual. If you watch the recording of that show, you’ll see Elvis singing and dancing… but only from the chest up.

As Elvis continued to explode in popularity, he was able to use his influence to open doors for many others in the social sphere. Most notably, his music brought black musical styles into the mainstream.

As Little Richard would one day say…

“I thank God for Elvis Presley. I thank the Lord for sending Elvis to open the door so I could walk down the road.”

Black Panther leader Eldridge Cleaver shared the same feelings as he said, in Soul on Ice, that Presley…

“…dared to do in the light of day what America had been doing in the sneak thief anonymity of night—consorted on a human level with the blacks.”

When it came time for serious social change in the U.S. with the civil rights act of 1963, Presley was a staunch supporter. As for his music, he often proclaimed how he just wanted to be as good as iconic black artist, Arthur Crudup.

Your Diet has Left the Building is a rich and decadent drink fit for a king!

The vanilla ice cream plays nice with the rum, brandy, and banana rum cream. The peanut butter and banana are the star of the show, but the alcohol plays like pyrotechnics at a concert—making the experience more exciting. And finally, the bacon and graham cracker with the whipped cream are delicious surprises.

One final note… the drink gets its name from the phrase often spoken over the loud speaker at Elvis’ concerts. After his show had concluded and his subsequent encores had finished, many fans would refuse to leave the concert hall, hoping the king of rock n’ roll would perform one more song. The problem was that Elvis would leave the venue before his fans did. Eventually, an announcer would exclaim over the loud speaker, “Elvis has left the building.”

In other words, go home. There won’t be any more encores.

Enjoy the indulgence of Your Diet has Left the Building, a sweet and memorable drink, like the man who inspired it.