Hollywood legend Gene Kelly was known for his athletic dance moves on the silver screen, but he was also no slouch in the kitchen. Whether it was his secret to perfect coq au vin — remove the chicken after it’s cooked and let the sauce reduce — or his wild recipe for his favorite sandwich, Kelly had some culinary moves to match his dance skills. Kelly made his name as an actor, dancer, singer, director, and choreographer in Hollywood in the 1940s and ’50s in such classics as “Singin’ in the Rain,” and “On the Town.” But in 1970, he added another accomplishment: recipe author.
One of his recipes that appeared in the “Cookbook of the Stars,” put out by a charity organization, Motion Picture Mothers, was for the “Greatest Man Sandwich in the World,” and it is unusual to say the least. While not as eyebrow-raising as famed writer Ernest Hemingway’s favorite sandwich, made with onions and peanut butter, it’s nonetheless a bit unconventional. It involves French bread, butter, onions, mayonnaise, and leftover mashed potatoes. Yes, mashed potatoes. It’s exactly the kind of simple yet utterly inspired dish that might inspire a flurry of fancy footwork.
Behold, The Greatest Man Sandwich in the World
Gene Kelly wasn’t much of a bachelor. He was married three times for a total of 35 years, but his go-to sandwich definitely seems like something a bachelor might have come up with. Perhaps he invented this between marriages. Whatever the case, the Man Sandwich starts with two slices of thickly buttered French bread. Kelly isn’t explicit on how the bread should be sliced (we’ve seen it made with both rounds and longer slices), but he’s very particular about the mashed potatoes.
“Take yesterday’s mashed potatoes and spread on bread as thickly as your mouth can get around,” he advised (via Beguiling Hollywood). The sandwich also includes red or white onion slices and lots of salt and pepper. Kelly then spread a thick layer of mayonnaise on top before popping the whole thing under a broiler. He suggested having a beer with this sammy that he called “heavenly.” Some might argue with his angelic description, but the results actually defy expectation and have garnered rave reviews from folks who’ve tried it. Yes, it’s a carb heavy affair, but Kelly, if not the rest of us, got all the exercise he could handle dancing across the screen.
