Someone told me it was “Elvis Week” on American Idol. Sure. Which got me thinking about the real (and totally incredible) Elvis Week in Tennessee. Every August, on the anniversary of his death, tens of thousands of fans gather in Memphis to commemorate The King. There are movie screenings, candlelight vigils, and the finals of the international Elvis Impersonator competition (obviously). This is serious stuff.

Once, inspired by Paul Simon, I skirted a term paper about religious pilgrimage by writing about Elvis Week. What I got was a lingering obsession with Graceland. One staple of the house was his grocery list— food that had to be stocked in the kitchen at all times. At the top was peanut butter, bananas and white bread. You know where this is going.

Here’s a picture (via cupcakestakethecake) from last year’s Brooklyn Cupcake Cookoff.

Banana cake with peanut butter filling, Southern Comfort frosting, honey roasted peanuts, and deep-friend banana slices. It’s the least I could do. Tickets for Elvis Week go on sale soon—plan your trip at www.elvisweek.com.