Reading the topic, the first cheese that comes to my mind is Casu Marzu, the famous Sardinian cheese with maggots. Casu Marzu simply means “rotten cheese” in Sardinian dialect. The maggots produce an enzyme that causes the cheese to ferment. The result is a very creamy and extremely pungent cheese. Some people may be bothered by the worms, but if you don’t mind them, I strongly suggest giving it a try. There is really nothing like it. It’s illegal to serve Casu Marzu, but many people make it at home for private consume. My father is from Sardinia and made me try it for the first time when I was a child; I actually thought it was a lot of fun eating cheese with worms! I wouldn’t be too concerned about possible health risks: my father, who was used to make Casu Marzu, told me that he never heard about anybody getting sick from eating this cheese. Let’s remember that people in Sardinia have one of the highest longevity in the world. They must be doing something right…
