What Is Sardinian Casu Marzu Cheese And Why Is It Illegal In The US?
A staple on the Italian island of Sardinia, casu marzu has a long history. While it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when and where the cheese was created, popular theories lean toward a genesis of the happy accident variety. One common belief, according to Crickster, posits shepherds accidentally created the delicacy when, in days long before refrigeration and insulated coolers, the pecorino cheese they packed for sustenance during long stretches in the field spoiled and became infested with maggots. Hungry — and without current-day on-demand food delivery options — they ate the cheese, maggots and all. And they liked it.
In fact, it was so good that they began purposefully aging pecorino to attract Piophila casei, the cheese skipper flies that lay the eggs that hatch and become maggots, per CNN. And so begins the cycle that continues today, although in modern times, it gets a jumpstart.
According to Culture, modern-day purveyors of casu marzu cut a hole through the cheese rind and place it outdoors to attract egg-laying flies. As the larvae mature, they burrow through the cheese, digesting proteins and passing the excrement (via All That’s Interesting) that gives the usually solid pecorino the decidedly creamy texture that makes it a local delicacy.
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