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Cheese
rolling may be a tradition in Gloucestershire, but have you heard
of cheese tossing in Oxfordshire?
If
not, it could be because it was the invention of Juliet Harbutt
- the brains behind The Great British Cheese Festival.
When
I arrived at Blenheim on Saturday, the first session of cheese tossing
was in full swing, right alongside the bars selling Hook Norton,
English wines and New Forest Cider.
There
was no shortage of participants, because all you need to play are
a sense of humour and the ability to catch - which may or may not
be enhanced by alcohol.
Five
teams of two people take part. One of each pair becomes the static
"tosser"; the other is the mobile "tosser" - yes, there's plenty
of innuendo in this game!
The
static "tossers" stand in a line, with their team mates facing them.
Each
pair has a "cheese" to throw back and forth. It's a special cheese,
with a top secret recipe, but you could substitute a cylindrical
cloth bag stuffed with lentils!
Cricket
bowling skills won't help: the throw is double-handed from between
the legs. With each catch of the cheese, the mobile "tosser" steps
back three paces, increasing the distance between them. Drop
the cheese and you're out.
Tossing
continues until only one pair is left or, in the event of a tie,
a "toss off" decides the winner.
Yes,
there were plenty of laughs. Could this start a new student craze?
Will
evening dress-clad May Ball revellers be competing for bottles of
Champagne?
The
whole Festival was great fun: lots of free samples to taste, music
with the City of Oxford Silver Band and, of course, more cheese
than you could shake a grater at.
Isn't
it ironic though, that it took a New Zealander - Juliet - to bring
the bounty of British cheeses to our notice?
By
91热爆 Radio Oxford's mid-morning presenter, Jan
Edwards.
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