When the toasted cheese craving comes over you, reach for this book,

Such a nice concept, the book is shaped like a slice of bread and the pages are thick slices of board like kids’ books often are. There’s a sense of playfulness and fun straightaway.

Which is fine because no one is saying melted cheese in bread is some kind of gourmet delight, but it is a snack that we’ve all made at some time. Either because there’s nothing else in the fridge or because it’s gone midnight and we’re a bit tiddly and we’re starving and incapable of anything else.

And what a snack, who can resist the feel of the hot cheese in the mouth and the hot strings of cheese collecting around the chin? This book has 27 recipes that require zero effort but come up trumps with cheesy satisfaction.

The introduction talks technical – equipment. You need a non stick frying pan, or a cast-iron pan with ridges if you want the presentation win, and a fish slice for flipping.

Bread is discussed. Of course if you’re fancy then sourdough is to be preferred, but many of will reach for the sliced loaf from the corner shop.

Now which cheese? Not all cheeses melt the same way and it is the melt we’re after. God knows what would happen if you used feta, for example. Becks tells you what melts best.

And then we’re off, classics and sexed up classics like caramelised onion, thyme and cheddar, proper Welsh Rarebits, The Sozzled Sandwich of kimchi, cheddar and Monterey jack.

More challenging is the New Yorker, a grilled cheese Reuben with sauerkraut and Russian dressing and The Posh One, a whole camembert in focaccia. Yes, a whole camembert.

This is a book that is going to get sticky, as all the best cook books do. You’ll also want to lick the pictures.Get out the frying pan, choose your cheese and get melting!

Kyle Books. Published 28 September £8.99

{ISBN:0857834517}