It was continued – in spades – by the main attraction, Jimeoin.
The Northern Irish-born stand-up is big in Australia, but don’t let that put you off. Dave Holder, the aforementioned novelty act, set the tone of complete daftness at the Ealing Comedy Festival in Walpole Park last night. No, the Edinburgh Festival – home of such attention-seeking student japesters – had not started a week early. It was merely the opening night at one of the myriad smaller comedy festivals that are popping up all over the country this summer like anti-GM food protesters. A SCRAWNY man in a red leotard, bovver boots and crash helmet was unicycling around a big top trying to free himself from a strait- jacket to the accompaniment of the theme from The Great Escape.

Nick Park’s Wallace and Gromit might not appreciate designer tastes interfering with their old favourite but this is another “new” cheese which continues to grow in popularity.. Cheese firms say more consumers are getting adventurous and beginning to appreciate it.Wensleydale with cranberries. In the words of one judge, “anything with garlic is going a storm” A garlic Stilton is also popular.White Stilton with apricot. Designed to capitalise on the popularity of curries in Britain.Double Gloucester and Stilton “gateau”, otherwise known as “Huntsman”, lumping together two firm favourites into one “cake”.Brie with garlic and mushroom. A full-fat soft dessert cheese with candied orange peel laid into it. The peel is designed to make make cutting into the cheese like cutting into a cake A Dairy Crest brand.Mexicana A new St Ivel brand, with many spices “It’s like curry on toast,” said a judge.

Along with red Leicester, it’s been terribly undersold in this country,” he said.Taste For ChangeNICHE CHEESES giving the French food for thought:Orange Grove. “All retailers want products designed with points of difference from each other. The sweetness or texture of each cheese is tailored to individual retailers’ requirements with a definite move towards more mature cheese,” he said.”It’s great to win with a double Gloucester. For once, on home turf, British dairy producers were enjoying a field day. The top prize, the Duke of Westminster Cup, went to Devon’s Taw Valley creamery for its double Gloucester.Taw Valley’s cheese grader, Mark Pitts-Tucker, said the days of producing slabs of cheese “then deciding who will buy it” are gone.