Cheese toastie when camping...?

We love a good cheese toastie out in the wild but producing one has always been something of a challenge with the limited facilities of a 'field kitchen'. In the past I have resorted to making up the sandwich and then flipping it over and over in the frying pan until it looked a healthy colour. This method sort of works but it is a bit of a fiddle and, on more than one occasion, I have flipped a little too enthusiastically and the partially toasted sandwich has ended up in the small brown spaniel!

I first saw the Diablo being demonstrated at the BBC Good  Food Show at the NEC in Birmingham. It is not specifically intended for campers but I couldn't see any reason why I shouldn't add it to my ever growing collection of camping equipment ('it is an essential item' I later explained to he who is rarely obeyed!)

The Diablo sandwich toaster makes lovely, deep filled, toasted snacks. It is coated with titanium making it strong and totally non-stick. It is also incredibly lightweight.

To use it you simply place a slice of bread in the base, pressing it down into the bowl shape of the Diablo. Next add your chosen fillings and then top with the second slice of bread. Bring the two halves of the Diablo together and clamp shut. Trim off any bread that is sticking out and then place the whole thing over a gas ring. The toastie will take a minute or two on each side. I keep turning mine and opening the Diablo up every so often to check progress. When it is toasted to your liking, simply tip it onto your plate and tuck in!

I have had my Diablo for years and I have never actually had to wash it. It is totally non-stick and I just wipe it over with a bit of kitchen roll. If the thought of that is too revolting for you, you can wash it in the normal way or put it in a dishwasher at home.

Our favourite fillings are:-

• Cheese and ham (any good melty cheese works - I often use a combination of ready-grated cheddar and mozzarella)
• Cheese and chorizo
• Bacon and egg (a small egg fits beautifully, cook a bit of extra bacon at breakfast time and use it later)
• Garlic bread (this is great to go with a BBQ in the evening - just put about 25g of ready made garlic butter in between the slices of bread and away you go)

I am always on the look out for new filling ideas so please let me know if you have a favourite recipe you are willing to share.

I find that medium sliced square shaped bread works the best. I cut off the corners before putting it into the Diablo and then trim it further once it is clamped shut. The 'waste' bread goes to the ducks when we are away in the van and gets turned into breadcrumbs at home.

There are one or two things to be aware of when you use a Diablo and I have found them out the hard way! The whole thing obviously gets very hot because you are sitting it on a gas flame. There is a perfectly adequate heat-proof handle to hold when you want to turn it over or take it off the flame so I am not really sure why I feel the need to touch the metal part of the handle on a regular basis before dancing round the campsite shouting expletives! You have been warned! Equally obviously, once you have made the first sandwich and you want to start the next one, it will be HOT! It is really quite easy to make the second, third and fourth snack without self harming - just remember it is hot and treat it with respect. I have suffered so that you do not have too!