All Over Albany

The mysterious Albany Jane -- of Albany Eats! -- has been a judge for every Tournament of Pizza. It's an impressive run. And it seems like just -- well, not yesterday, but not that long ago -- that we were eating pizza in Congress Park for the first TOP.

The man known as derryX returns for his third season on the panel. He's a tough judge, and he brings insight from his time working in a family Italian imports shop.

A TOP original, Joe has been judge for all but one tournament. It doesn't feel like the TOP without him.

Jeff is new to panel this year. In addition to writing about food and beer at The Masticating Monkey, Jeff also recently started writing the recurring Eat This! feature for AOA. What he looks for in pizza:

I would say that despite being a native Californian, I've long been a devotee of the traditional New York style pizza. But I'm happy with any type of pie so long as there's evidence of thoughtful preparation, quality ingredients, and a nice balance between crust, sauce, and cheese. I've enjoyed both the cracker crust style of St. Louis pizza before and the deep dish of Chicago, after all (though I don't actually consider the latter to be pizza).

You might know Innae as reporter and anchor for YNN. But we've gotten to know Innae has an adventurous lover of food. What she looks for in pizza:

Pizza delights me when all the elements are there. A flavorful sauce that won't explode when you take a bite. Cheese that oozes with mildness and gentle texture. Toppings (and I generally go for the unexpected - arugula, anyone?) that would hold their own on just a plain pita. A crust that's light like a cloud but still chewy. And of course, a bit of grease, but not enough to pour it off. Bring on the balance.