How does renowned Melbourne cheesemonger Anthony Femia of Maker & Monger combine cheese, bread and condiments to make a killer cheese toastie? We asked him and got tips on everything from types of cheese to use, ratios, bread thickness and the little extras that will level up your sanger.

His first rule is to never make a toastie on the day you buy a loaf of bread.

“It needs to be a day or two old so you get that perfect crunch,” says Femia.

Maker & Monger has been selling cheese toasties with various twists – from cayenne pepper to onion – since 2015 at Prahran Market using cheeses from around the world.

Melting cheeses are the ones you want in your grilled-cheese sandwich, according to Femia. Think gruyere, fior di latte (mozzarella made with cow’s milk, not buffalo’s), scamorza (a cousin of mozzarella) and cheddar. A mix of these is good for flavour complexity.

Femia encourages people to use block cheddar, the standard-issue stuff you get from the supermarket.

Avoid gouda or parmesan, as their pH levels cause a separation of fats and proteins, leading to oily residue.

Cheese should always be grated, not sliced, to help it melt before the outside of your toastie burns. The ratio of cheese to bread is also important.

Femia recommends a layer of cheese that’s equal to the thickness of one slice of bread – approximately two centimetres – so it melts at the right speed.

“You [also] get the perfect amount of ooze with every bite,” he adds.

A crunchy crust is the result of spreading the outside of your sanger with butter or (for extra richness) mayonnaise. But Femia doesn’t suggest a layer of butter inside.

“It’s enough of a tickle of the heart putting butter on the outside.”

His attention to detail has won Maker & Monger’s toasties many high-profile fans, including Men at Work’s Colin Hay, politician Josh Frydenberg, Melbourne Demons footballer Max Gawn and cricketer Adam Zampa.

Actor Liam Neeson is another, who also patronised Penny’s Cheese Shop in Sydney and wrote both cheesemongers cards telling them they served the “best” toasties. Can two toasties share that crown?

Despite his fundamental toastie tips, Femia is not afraid to go a little left of centre. One flourish is adding finely chopped leek to the cheese mix.

“It gives you a really nice sweetness and caramelisation and that elevates the flavour of cheese.”

He also likes adding a bit of spice, either with chutney, pickled jalapenos or a chilli condiment – such as Aunty’s Chilli Jam, made in Melbourne.

Five cheese toasties to try around town

Wild Life

This northside bakery makes doorstopper toasties on its white sourdough bread, filled with a blend of cheeses including comte and asiago, with a refreshing pickle on the side (you’ll need it). Variations include kimchi or ham and mustard.

90 Albert Street, Brunswick East, shop.wildlifebakery.com

Ripe

Always trust a cheesemonger with your toastie. At Ripe, Australian artisanal cheeses are the focus – and that’s what you’ll find between two slices of sourdough. Mozzarella, cheddar and a hint of blue are combined with caramelised leeks in this grown-up toastie.

Shop 41/42, Dairy Hall, Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne, ripecheese.com.au

Hector’s Deli

Join the hordes of hungry hipsters patiently queuing for Hector’s signature toastie, the HCT, which sandwiches mortadella, provolone, mozzarella and tomato chutney between slices of toasted white sourdough. Another hot favourite: the mushroom melt, an autumnal combo of mustard-pickled mushrooms, mozzarella and provolone cheese on toasted light rye.

Richmond, South Melbourne and Fitzroy. For addresses go to hectorsdeli.com.au

Baguette Studios

Come for the pastries and coffee, but stay for the grilled three-cheese sandwich,an irresistibly gooey combination of gruyere, provolone, cheddar and caramelised onion jam lovingly smacked between sourdough and toasted for your indulgent pleasure.

15-27 Wreckyn Street, North Melbourne, baguettestudios.com

Maker & Monger

Prahran Market’s favourite cheese shop cuts no corners, even in its sandwiches. The Fondue is the classic cheese toastie, but opt for the All-American and you’ll get two cheddars from Vermont with the zing of parsley and onion. If you like a bit of heat, consider the Pimento, with jalapeno, cayenne and smoky roasted capsicum notes.

Stall 98, Prahran Market, 163 Commercial Road, South Yarra, makerandmonger.com.au