Elvis Presley Hated This Food So Much He Banned It Entirely From Graceland

When you're the King of Rock and Roll, it's easy to call the shots. Elvis Presley, the famous singer who dominated the charts in the 1950s, resided at his Memphis mansion, Graceland, when he wasn't performing for the crowds. While Elvis was known for loving any sandwich made with peanut butter, there was one food he absolutely hated: fish. Elvis hated the smell of all fish and refused to allow it to be cooked in his kitchen.

Elvis loved to eat, and he was reportedly a big fan of Southern cooking, so there was no shortage of good food coming from the king's kitchen at all times. However, when fish cooks in an enclosed space like a kitchen, it tends to waft through the house, and Elvis didn't like it. "There was never any fish in the house," Graceland archivist Angie Marchese shared in an interview with Express. However, Southern foods like mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and fried chicken were always welcome.

Some foods have a stronger scent than others, and fish is certainly one that comes to mind. Believe it or not, there is actually science behind why fish smells so strongly. As fish is exposed to oxygen and heat, certain reactions take place at the microbial level that come together to create that strong scent. Fish should smell similar to seaweed — a strong odor that some don't like, but not a fishy smell that's so strong it becomes unbearable (although, to Elvis, even a mild fish scent was unbearable). If the fish smells too foul or odd, then it could be a sign of spoilage.

If you want to cook fish at home and avoid an intense smell, try cooking a mild-flavored fish, such as a whitefish like cod or tilapia, which doesn't emit quite the intense scent that a fish like salmon would. If you have a grill, it might be best to grill the fish because you can prevent the smell from getting inside your home. Just don't microwave it.