Which Sardinia cheese is okay to eat when it has maggots squirming in it?

casu marzu
Considered a Sardinian delicacy and an aphrodisiac, casu marzu – meaning rotten cheese in the local tounge – is exactly that; decomposing pecorino complete with a pungent, eye-watering aroma, and wriggling maggots and their cheesy excretions.

What country eats maggots?

Maggots may be fried and eaten in places where eating bugs is commonplace. They can also be used to make a Sardinian delicacy. “Casu marzu” translates to maggot cheese or rotten cheese. It’s an Italian cheese that’s prepared specially to turn into breeding grounds for maggots.

Is blue cheese made with maggots?

Italian Gorgonzola is one of the world’s most prestigious blue cheeses, known for its “smelly” pungent odour and vein-like greenish streaks of mould. Yes, it’s cheese that’s actually a few steps away from having real maggots in it.

Do people put maggots in cheese?

Cheese skipper flies, Piophila casei, lay their eggs in cracks that form in cheese, usually fiore sardo, the island’s salty pecorino. Maggots hatch, making their way through the paste, digesting proteins in the process, and transforming the product into a soft creamy cheese.

What is the most illegal cheese in the world?

Casu marzu
Casu marzu is registered as a traditional product of Sardinia and therefore is locally protected. Still, it has been deemed illegal by the Italian government since 1962 due to laws that prohibit the consumption of food infected by parasites.

What is the most disgusting cheese in the world?

Casu martzu (Sardinian pronunciation: [ˈkazu ˈmaɾtsu]; literally ‘rotten/putrid cheese’), sometimes spelled casu marzu, and also called casu modde, casu cundídu and casu fràzigu in Sardinian, is a traditional Sardinian sheep milk cheese that contains live insect larvae (maggots).

Why is Casu marzu eaten?

Casu martzu is believed to be an aphrodisiac by Sardinians. Because the larvae in the cheese can launch themselves for distances up to 15 centimetres (6 in) when disturbed, diners hold their hands above the sandwich to prevent the maggots from leaping. Some who eat the cheese prefer not to ingest the maggots.

Why is it illegal to sell casu marzu in Italy?

Casu marzu is registered as a traditional product of Sardinia and therefore is locally protected. Still, it has been deemed illegal by the Italian government since 1962 due to laws that prohibit the consumption of food infected by parasites.

What country eats cheese with maggots?

Sardinians
The cheese is banned from commercial sale, but Sardinians have been eating it, jumping grubs included, for centuries. “The maggot infestation is the spell and delight of this cheese,” says Paolo Solinas, a 29-year-old Sardinian gastronome.

What is maggots cheese called in Sardinia?

Casu martzu ( Sardinian pronunciation: [ˈkazu ˈmaɾtsu]; literally ‘rotten/putrid cheese’), sometimes spelled casu marzu, and also called casu modde, casu cundídu and casu fràzigu in Sardinian, is a traditional Sardinian sheep milk cheese that contains live insect larvae ( maggots ).

Why is parasite cheese illegal in Sardinia?

Still, it has been deemed illegal by the Italian government since 1962 due to laws that prohibit the consumption of food infected by parasites. Those who sell the cheese can face high fines up to €50,000 (about $60,000) but Sardinians laugh when asked about the prohibition of their beloved cheese.

Why do Sardinians eat casu martzu?

Casu martzu is believed to be an aphrodisiac by Sardinians. Because the larvae in the cheese can launch themselves for distances up to 15 centimetres (6 in) when disturbed, diners hold their hands above the sandwich to prevent the maggots from leaping. Some who eat the cheese prefer not to ingest the maggots.

What do you think about Sardinian cheese?

It’s dangerous, illegal, and if you’re on the uncultured side of things, maybe think it’s a bit gross. But it’s not highly saught after for nothing. Sardianians claim the cheese is an aphrodisiac, enjoying it at weddings and other celebrations.