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BILL CRAWFORD WINS 5TH ANNUAL REAL CALIFORNIA PIZZA CONTEST

Following a live bake-off competition, the California Milk Advisory Board has crowned three new pizza champions in the 2023 Real California Pizza Contest, the premier national search for the best pizza recipes that feature Real California Cheeses.

Bill Winners

Bill Crawford
Rexburg, ID

El Pollo Borracho
Cal-Mex & Grand Prize Winner
$15,000

El Pollo Borracho packs a punch of fresh, zesty flavor by marrying tequila-lime chicken, elote corn, jalapeño peppers, and Tajin seasoning with Real California Oaxaca, Queso Fresco, and crème fraiche.

Cheeses featured: Oaxaca, Queso Fresco and Crème Fraiche
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Grand Prize
Winner
Giovanni Winners

Giovanni Labbate
Palatine, IL

Sunset in Sonoma
Plant-Forward Winner
$5,000

Sunset in Sonoma is a colorful ode to Northern California’s wine country, featuring a garlic confit cream sauce, sharp Cheddar cheese, purple potato slices, caramelized onions, and mushrooms. It is topped with pesto-whipped Real California Ricotta and Parmesan.

Cheeses featured: Mozzarella, Aged Cheddar, Ricotta and Parmesan
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Vincent Winners

Vincent Sbarro
Concord, CA

Cali King
The REAL Californian Winner
$5,000

The Cali King pairs four unique Real California cheeses with tender eggplant, fire roasted red bell peppers, and sliced Castelvetrano olives to tastefully showcase the best of California dairy and produce in each savory bite.

Cheeses featured: Mozzarella, Fontina-style, Carmody and Feta/Blue Cheese
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2023 FINALISTS & PIZZAS

Plant-Forward

Audrey Kelly
Boulder, CO

The Golden State Cowgirl

The Golden State Cowgirl highlights the rich flavors of earthy ratatouille and includes a salty hit of toasted pumpkin seeds, all balanced by a creamy combination of four Real California cheeses.

Cheeses featured: Mozzarella, Mt. Tam, Manchego and Stracciatella
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Jordan Lawson
Bellingham, WA

The California Rainbow

The California Rainbow includes a colorful collection of vegetables, including purple cauliflower, Romanesco, yellow peppers, and grape tomatoes, that are paired with five Real California cheeses and baked in a deep-dish pan for a crispy cheese crust.

Cheeses featured: Smoked Mozzarella, Smoked Cheddar, Garlic Monterey Jack, Parmesan-style and Cream Cheese
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Lars Smith
Los Altos, CA

Sunflowers for Ukraine

Sunflowers for Ukraine honors the country’s national flower with a sunflower seed pesto, made with Real California cheese, and sunflower sprouts alongside cherry tomatoes on an alla pala style dough.

Cheeses featured: Pizzarella and Estero Gold Reserve
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The REAL Californian

Charles Cullison
Kingman, AZ

Cali BBQ Bomb

The Cali BBQ Bomb is a Detroit-style pizza that explodes with exotic flavors, highlighted by Real California Habanero Monterey Jack cheese, sweet BBQ sauce, fresh jalapeño, and hand-pulled chicken.

Cheeses featured: Mozzarella, Smoked Scamorza, Habanero Monterey Jack, Aged Cheddar and Cotija
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Matt Hutchinson
Houston, TX

Napa Cheese Plate Pizza

The Napa Cheese Plate Pizza is a Detroit-style pizza featuring Real California Triple Creme Brie and Manchego alongside chardonnay-soaked Turkish figs, dried fruits, and a chardonnay dipping sauce that blends the contrasting flavors of a cheese plate into a delicious pie.

Cheeses featured: Mozzarella, Triple Crème Brie, Manchego, Cream Cheese
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Peter Reinhart
Charlotte, NC

4-Cheese Balsamic Fig Flambé

The 4-Cheese Balsamic Fig Flambe’ uses four Real California cheeses and a signature white sauce to balance a sweet balsamic fig jam glaze, drizzled on top of sweet onions and bacon, to deliver a rich caramelized flavor profile on a Neo-Neapolitan crust.

Cheeses featured: Mascarpone, Crescenza, Smoked Scamorza and Crème Fraiche
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Cal-Mex

Ahmad Butler
San Pedro, CA

El Angelenó

El Angelenó infuses the vibrant flavors of a Los Angeles street taco in a Napoletana-style pizza, pairing multiple Real California cheeses and Crema Mexicana with roasted corn, jalapeños, chorizo, and chimichurri for a fresh, piquant bite.

Cheeses featured: Mozzarella and Cotija
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Chris Decker
Dana Point, CA

The Golden Lantern

The Golden Lantern delivers a carnival of the colors and flavors of Mexico with a tasteful balance of green chili-marinated chicken, roasted corn, crushed avocado, and pineapple pickled peppers paired with four diverse Real California cheeses.

Cheeses featured: Smoked Scamorza, Oaxaca, Panela and Dry Monterey Jack
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Marcus Medina
Tracy, CA

Cali Camino

The Cali Camino celebrates the fusion of humble Californian Mexican cuisine by showcasing three Real California cheeses in a hot honey infused, tavern-style crust pizza topped with ground beef, chorizo, and potatoes.

Cheeses featured: Oaxaca, Cotija and Monterey Jack
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