Cheddar, Lancashire & Caerphilly… how to make the perfect cheese toastie by Blur star turned cheesemaker Alex James

THE French have finally cottoned on to the British cheese toastie.

What is believed to be the first international grilled cheese competition was held in Paris on Tuesday, with contestants from across the world tasked with coming up with a fancy version.

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Blur bassist-turned-cheesemaker Alex James is delighted.

He says: “With little or no expertise and at a cost of pennies, anyone can enjoy cheese on toast.”

He gives Emma Pietras a step-by-step guide on how to make the perfect cheese toastie . . . 

STEP 1

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THE key to a next-level toastie is to use a pastry brush to apply melted butter on to the outsides of your ­sarnie before grilling.

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I prefer to use medium sliced white.

This keeps the overall thing light and crispy.

Sourdough types can make things too dense and chewy.

STEP 2

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SPREAD an even layer of grated cheese on one of the slices, then cover with the other.

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Cheddar, Lancashire, Caerphilly, Leicester and many British regional classics melt brilliantly – and grilling them boosts flavour.

Mild Cheddar’s high moisture content will mean top ooziness.

STEP 3

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LAY your toastie on foil or greaseproof paper then grill on a medium heat until the buttery bread is toasted and golden and the cheese inside has melted.

I like to serve it like that so you can pick off the gooey flecks of melted cheese – the best bit.

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Pepper: The zing and zip of pepper can cut through the richness of the cheese – don’t hold back.

Sauce (option): Go for the rarebit approach if you want true opulence.

Bring half a cup of cream to a simmer and add half a cup of cheese, a teaspoon of mustard and, if you’re feeling really naughty, a splash of Worcestershire.

Stir until you’ve got a creamy sauce, spread on top of your finished toastie and brown under the grill.

Onion: All members of the onion family make great friends for cheese.

Spring chives give a punch of piquancy and splash of colour, as will raw leeks and thinly sliced red onions.

Tomatoes: Fresh heritage ­tomatoes will provide a blast of natural umami.

Never mind the Frenchies, cheese on toast with fresh tomatoes will give any Italian pizza chef a run for his money.

Pickles: The primary acidity you get from all pickles – gherkins, beetroot, onions, walnuts, even cabbage or that Great British classic, the pickled egg – is a great palate cleanser and never fails to invite another mouthful.

Fried Egg or Bacon: A fried egg will add colour and texture. Feel free to go the whole hog and add bacon, too.

Then you’ve got a British take on the French Croque Madame, which is an egg-topped ham and cheese toastie.

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Salad Leaves: The delicious oils released as hard cheese melts make a wonderful dressing for salad. Use those leaves to mop up all the precious juices.

Worcestershire Sauce: A nuclear combination of complex salts and crisp acidity. Sometimes, this is all you need.