SICK of the same old type of cookbook? Then this fun and innovative tome might be for you.

Chef Jez Felwick, who trained at the prestigious Ballymaloe school in Ireland, serves meat, fish and vegetable balls from grass-fed van The Lawn Ranger at certain locations in the UK. He also operates a mobile service which travels all over the country turning up at farmer’s markets, festivals and the like.

It may have started as a terrific gimmick to attract attention, but Jez’s success proves that he clearly has the quality to back up his initial culinary light bulb moment. His focus on using the finest free-range meat and insisting on quality ingredients generally has also helped.

Design-wise, this is the perfect bloke’s cookbook, right from its dark blackboard-style cover to the quirky but straightforward inside layout. In fact, I have already decided to buy copies for my brother and father for Christmas.

The simple layout extends to the chapters – five in total after the introduction. There’s a section for each main sort of ball, plus one on sauces and dips, and one on sides.

And the Bowler also recommends eight brews to accompany certain of the dishes, something which will delight any fan of real ale or unusual beer.

There may only be around 70 photo-illustrated recipes in total – 31 balls -  but there is lots to entice you nonetheless. There are Swedish (Bjorn Balls), Mexican (Mexballs), Balafel (obviously a take on falafel) veal, chilli chicken, crab, spinach (The Popeye) and spicy (Great Balls of Fire, of course) balls, and countless interesting others. 

The sides and salads are worthy of perusal too, including cumin soured cream for the Great Balls of Fire, spicy slaw or lime yoghurt, citrus couscous and founder of Ballymaloe Darina Allen’s pomegranate seed and cucumber raita, for when you’ve overdone it with the spices.       

Certain places Jez has worked for or with, or he just is passionate about, have allowed him to include their work too, so we have the added bonus of Homeslice’s Calzone, London steak restaurant Hawksmore’s Meatballs & Grits, Lowry and Baker’s chicory, stilton, pear and pecan salad, and Ballymaloe’s spicy Indian meatballs. 

There’s a healthy Bean Balls recipe to conclude to hopefully provide us all with something tasty and good for us when we’re on-the-go.

It’s never going to be a go-to book for every occasion, or a kitchen staple, but it’s certainly diverting. There’s enough here to stimulate and entertain an experienced cook, whilst an amateur will easily be able to tackle the recipes. After all, it’s mostly throwing things in a bowl or blender, and rolling them into spheres. 

There is a bit of inevitable wordplay about balls contained within its cover but, if you’re of very delicate sensibilities, just ignore that aspect and focus on the delicious food instead.