What the F*ck is Casu Marzu!?

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It’s one thing to eat stanky tofu or chomp on a chicken fetus, but Casu Marzu is a living, breathing pile of nastalicious that makes even the most weathered foodie bite his tongue. So outrageous that it’s illegal in its home country of Italy, Casu Marzutranslates to “rotten cheese” and this gnarly loaf makes Limburger look like Kraft singles. Super smelly cheeses are nothing new, so what’s the big deal? . Well, this oozy curd is teaming with live maggots and the slimy tunnels they leave behind give the cheese its distinct creamy texture. Salivating for a slice? OTP’s sniffed out all you need to (or ever wanted to) know about this delightful dairy delicacy.

Casu Marzu is a Pecorino Sardo remix that’ll have your stomach grooving for days. A hard sheep milk cheese, Pecorino is a sort-of buttery Parmesan with a dash of chestnut. Snazzy as that may sound, yummy Pec is just the humble starting block for heinous maggot cheese crimes. We will never know whether the historical first batch was an accident or a prank played on the nerdy shepherd next door, but legend has it that someone creepin around a cheese wheel noticed that Piophila casei (cheese flies) had laid eggs in the loaf. While maggots writhing in pre-pubescent fly angst would seem a deterrent, whoever encountered the sagging, spongy mass was either too drunk or too hungry to care and decided their mouth (and not the dumpster) would be the appropriate disposal receptacle. Surprisingly, maggot-loving-cheese dude actually started a trend. Consumption of this rotten mess skyrocketed, governments everywhere stamped it illegal (only because it’s deadly sometimes, that’s all) and people (like this weirdo) were getting arrested for cheese smuggling.

Double the cost of a regular wheel of Pecorino and you have to share it with worms that got there first? Absurd! Word on Gross Street is that maggot enzymes help cure the cheese and break up fats, giving Casu Marzu a softer, nuttier taste than its FDA-approved ancestor. Bug-lovers from Mexico to the African Pridelands describe maggots as “nutty” and “buttery” and while it might not be the classic taste of Nutter Butters, hardcore curiosity must have you wondering what all the wiggling is about.

The Allure of the Foreign

Markets all over Europe will sell Casu Marzu under the table, providing you can convince them you ain’t the fuzz. A little slice of this shit is hard to come by because when no one’s there to eat it, the cheese eats itself before it can be sold. No vendor wants his product to implode and disappear—there’s no money in that. If you’re lucky enough to sniff some out, make sure your cheese maggots are still alive. Our bodies are made to handle live larvae, apparently, but once they’re dead, so are you

The Modus

If you find yourself basking in the gorgeous, coastal breeze of Sardinia with an order of Casu Marzu coming your way, make sure you have the proper accoutrements. You can expect—or demand nicely if necessary—that the cheese will come with Pane Carasau, a flat Sardinian shepherd’s bread. Chase the wiggling gobs with a sip of Carignano, a local red wine. Floss.

OTP Tip: Bust out those aviators, amici—the worms can jump up to six inches when you rustle their cheesy bed. That’s right; these maggots could just give you the money shot of a lifetime. So be careful and throw a hand over your Casu, unless you want to catch a maggot to the eyeball.

If You Just Can’t Do It

You’re adventurous, you’re all about taking risks when it comes to food, and you’re not one to shy away from bugs. Even still, gagging down maggots can be a bit much. If you’re not feeling them but really want to try this larvae-made luxury, stick the cheese into a paper bag before eating. Science says the oxygen deprivation makes the maggots evacuate their cheese holes, but we think the little buggers are just scared of the dark. Either way, they will freak and jump overboard, making it sound like the popcorn bag from hell. Like any eccentric food, the trick to getting Casu Marzu down your gullet without it coming back up is to see it as a rollercoaster for your mouth. Don’t focus on the bugs—take it like a champ and enjoy the unique, once-in-a-lifetime, flavor. The maggots worked hard to make it taste that way… the least you can do is try the spoils of their toil.

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