The "world's most dangerous cheese" lies within the curves of the Italian island of Sardinia.
Casu marzu is a sheep cheese and is famous for being the "maggot cheese". Essentially, cheese skipper flies named Piophila Casei lay their eggs in cracks that form from traditionally made pecorino. These eggs hatch, making their way through the paste, digesting proteins in the process, and transforming the product into a soft cream through the larvae's... defecations.
It's specifically the acid from the maggots' digestive system that breaks down the cheese's fats and makes the smooth texture; by the time it is ready for consumption, a typical casu marzu will contain thousands of these buggers.
The name "casu marzu" also literally translates to "rotten cheese".
Is it really rotten, though?
Surprisingly, if you were to analyze a portion of cheese from the inside with a microscope, you'd see that cheese, in general, is a "living" product. However, in the case of this Italian cheese, the "living" aspect can be seen with just your eyes.
It's honestly disgusting. As much as I love cheese, I would never deliberately eat maggot rectal discharge.
Good thing I'll never get the chance, as it's forbidden to be sold not only in the US but also in the entire European Union (unless, obviously, I take a trip to Italy). But, it honestly might taste better than it looks, as, apparently, some Sardinians organized themselves in order to make Casu Marzu available on the black market.
That's kinda crazy. If people are that desperate for a block of critter-laced curds, then it might actually be worth taking a bite.
That bite, though, might cause some grave health issues. The maggots/larvae present, if not exterminated by the gastric juices in the stomach, can cause very serious lesions in the intestines, leading to vomiting, abdominal pain, and bloody diarrhea.
In the end, I would still never try it. Nevertheless, it's certainly an interesting form of cuisine worth looking into. According to seasoned maggot lovers, should you conquer its initially off-putting nature, marzu reveals an intense flavor redolent of Mediterranean pastures, coupled with a spicy aftertaste that persists for hours.
One last reason I would never try it: I personally prefer my maggots without cheese.
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