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Sep 12, 2013

food trucks! pizza mike's award-winning pie


Season Three of The Great Food Truck Race saw 8 brand new teams competing for the $50,000 prize and the privilege to keep their food truck. While $50K is nothing to sneeze at, the food truck is worth a heck of a lot more, to the tune of 30-200K, depending on how tricked out your truck is, and the Food Network has some sweet rides. The lower end of that budget will only get you a trailer to pull, a used one, at that.

Season Three featured the truck Pizza Mike's from Columbus, Ohio. Michael Evans was the owner and operator of Michael's Pizza, an establishment that burned down around 2008. Not having the funds (or the desire?) to reopen the same place, Mike entered The Race and is currently still operating his own food truck in Ohio, albeit not the same one as he drove on the show. Mike and his team left the race in the third episode. 




In 2001, Mike represented the USA in the World Pizza Championship in Salsimiogorre, Italy, where his "Michael's Traditional" was awarded "Best in the USA" prize. The winning pizza was topped with his Grandfather Collura's sausage recipe, pepperoni and sweet onions. 

Making it vegan, I used Yve's pepperoni substitute and doctored Gimme Lean Sausage. Relatively easy pizza to replicate given vegan ingredients. I figure the sausage, the crust and the sauce are the necessary ingredients to work on. 

In addition to "Michael's Traditional," I also made another of his popular pies, this time topped with pepperoni, roasted red peppers, green peppers, olives and onions.




 Roll your dough thin, bake on high and allow it to rest before cutting. 

Not much chance that Pizza Mike's has anything vegan, so head to the kitchen and make your own "Best in the USA," or at least in your kitchen, pizza pie. 

That's Amore!






8 comments:

  1. Poor Mike. Looks like a little Italian lightening might have taken care of the old establishment. or maybe he got nothing from it.
    Awww. whoa those trucks are a pretty penny. I love crusts like you made. Can I have your crust. and some of the toppings too?
    Hey I heard that major congrats are in order. So well deserved!!! yay. That is awesome. Congrats!

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  2. Sure you can! Are you near San Diego? I'll make you a pie with loads of toppings!

    So what do you know? How?

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    Replies
    1. Book 2014? I was led to the Publishing site by another blogger I know who is getting published too and I saw you!!! so awesome.
      I am not that far from San Diego.
      3 hours?

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  3. I LOVE that shade of green on the truck!

    I love drawing inspiration for vegan dishes from non-vegan sources, tho! COOL!

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  4. What? Wait, free pizza from VA???? I am on the road now heading your way... :)
    The crusts do look awesome indeed. Heck, both pizza's look worth their weight in gold.

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