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About Sardinia -

Sardinia is an Italian island that sits in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is known for its sprawling white sand beaches and exquisite Mediterranean cuisine.

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The tourist experience -

When tourists visit Sardinia, they usually encounter pane carasau, the island’s iconic flatbread, and fiore sardo, its pecorino cheese.

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Delving deeper -

If they veer slightly off the beaten track, however, visitors to this charming island may come across the Sardinian delicacy of casu marzu, a maggot-infested cheese.

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Not for everyone -

Casu marzu is controversial, even among people who have grown up on the island. Indeed, some Sardinians cringe at the very idea of eating a cheese filled with jumping grubs.

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Sardinian culture -

Others, however, consider casu marzu to be a creamy delicacy and an important part of Sardinian cuisine, culture, and heritage.

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How it's made -

Casu marzu begins to form when cheese skipper flies lay their eggs in a cheese, usually fiore sardo (the island’s salty pecorino).

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Munching maggots -

Maggots hatch from the eggs and make their way through the cheese paste, digesting proteins in the process.

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Making a creamy cheese -

As the maggots work their way through the pecorino, they turn the product into a soft and creamy cheese.

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The finished product -

At this point, the cheesemonger cracks open the top of the cheese, which is usually untouched by maggots, and scoops out the creamy goodness.

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Not for the faint-hearted -

Casu marzu is not one to look at if you are squeamish. Once it’s cracked open, you can see the grubs squirming and wriggling inside.

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Eating it natural -

Many Sardinians are able to stomach the sight of casu marzu; they simply pop everything in their mouths and eat it au naturel.

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Hiding the maggots -

Others prefer to spin the product through a centrifuge, in order to mix the maggots in with the rest of the cheese.

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What does it taste like? -

In terms of taste, casu marzu is strong and has a slight kick that lingers for hours after you consume it.

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Potentially dangerous -

Aside from being arguably a bit disgusting, many people believe that casu marzu can be harmful to human health.

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Guinness World Record -

Indeed, in 2009, it was proclaimed the world’s most dangerous cheese by Guinness World Records.

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Main concern -

The main health concern with casu marzu is that the maggots could survive being eaten and go on to create micro perforations in the intestine.

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No confirmed cases -

Until now, there has been no recorded case of this occurring in someone who has consumed casu marzu.

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Forbidden cheese -

However, that has not stopped the Italian government from banning the commercial sale of the cheese.

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Part of an ancient tradition -

For many people, casu marzu should not be considered a strange attraction, but rather an important product that keeps an ancient tradition alive.

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History of Sardinian cuisine -

According to Giovanni Fancello, a Sardinian journalist and gastronome, there is no written record of Sardinian recipes until 1909.

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Worms as a classic -

However, it is clear from the writing of Pliny the Elder and Aristotle that Sardinians have always eaten worms.

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Regional variation -

Casu marzu is therefore an important part of Sardinian culture, and each subregion of the island has its own way of producing it.

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Different names -

The cheese also has various different names, such as casu becciu, casu fattittu, hasu muhidu, formaggio marcio.

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Illegal to buy or sell -

As previously mentioned, it is illegal to buy or sell casu marzu (even though it is registered as a traditional product of Sardinia and is therefore locally protected).

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1962 ban -

This is because, in 1962, the Italian government passed a law that prohibits the consumption of food infected by parasites.

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Risk of fines -

Sardinians that sell casu marzu run the risk of being hit with fines that can run into many thousands of euros.

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Loose interpretation -

However, most Sardinians just laugh when you ask them about the prohibition of casu marzu.

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Grub as food -

In recent years, the European Union has started to focus on grubs as a potential food source. Indeed, research shows that consuming insects could help alleviate the climate crisis by reducing the need for livestock farming.

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Looking ahead -

Going forward, only time will tell what this development could mean for the future of the Sardinian delicacy that is casu marzu.

Sources: (CNN)

See also: Understanding why cheese and milk have different colors

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