Pizza Today - May 2018 - 14

@PizzaToday

CLICK.EXPLORE.CONNECT.

A MOMENT WITH MANDY

@PIZZATODAY VIDEO
FACEBOOK Q&A

In April's Man on the
Street, Scott Wiener
revealed his topping
pet peeves. We asked
our Facebook followers:
What's your biggest
topping pet peeves?

MA NDY WO L F DETWI LER

Dare to Dream
INTERNATIONAL PIZZA
CHALLENGE FINDS NEW BLOOD

For the last several years, we've seen
some familiar faces competing in the
five categories of the International Pizza
Challenge. It's always great to see what
these fierce competitors come up with
year after year, but also getting to know
them on a personal level. It's especially
exciting to see competitors who've come
close to winning before finally make it to
the end.
Every year, however, whispers and
rumors abound about favoritism by the
judges. Here's the kicker: the judges are
truly blind tasting competitors' entries
in the non-traditional and traditional
divisions. So how does it actually work?
Competitor A, B, C, D and E are all
working on their entries at the same time
in front of the crowd. Competitor C's pizza
gets done first, so he or she takes his or
her two pizzas to the judging stand. The
better of the two is brought whole into the
judging booth. There's no name -- just
the competitor's hand-written card with
his or her ingredients and description.
The pizza is then cut and served to the
judges. Each competitor has his own score
sheet, and the scores are entered digitally.
Sometimes a couple of pizzas get done at
the same time, so the judges are reliant
on competitor numbers. (Also, once a
work station is clean, we put in the next
contestant, so we're constantly moving.)
In the end, the finalists with the four
highest scores compete in the finals,
regardless of what region they're from.
The traditional and non-traditional finalists
compete against the winners from the pan
and Napoletana division using a secret
ingredient. And THAT is how we name the
Pizza Maker of the Year.
If you competed this year and have
feedback, I'd love to hear it. Drop me an
e-mail at mdetwiler@pizzatoday.com.
MANDY WOLF DETWILER is managing editor of
Pizza Today.
1 4 / P I Z Z AT O D AY. C O M / M AY 2 0 1 8

Not getting extra liquid out
of peppers and onions.
Carl Hixon

Featured Video of the Month: Watch us create the Big Southwest
Beef and Corn Pie with Pepper Jack from John Gutekanst's article
on page 36. Viewable on Pizza Today's Facebook, Youtube or Instagram.
#PIZZATODAYREADER

When the pizza maker doesn't
spread the toppings evenly.
Nothing like having 10 pcs.
Of a topping on 1 slice and
nothing on the slices next
to it.
Midmo Prepper

Pepperoni grease cups
Nancy Stradley- Pezzi

@thecheeseguys
Waiting for my pizza
to bake.

Crappy sausage pellets
Moses Bartlett

@harlowspizza
Cover slice.

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I only use fresh mushrooms
but I've seen can mushrooms
done very well when the
mushrooms are marinated
in Olive oil, fresh garlic, salt
and black pepper several
days before they are put on
a pizza.
Christopher Bailey

When a place, or an entire
region in my case, doesn't
have green olives as an
option.
Rob Osborn
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Pizza Today - May 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pizza Today - May 2018
