QuickCheck: Is there a European 'delicacy' that has live maggots?

The Star

28-04-2025

WHEN it comes to culinary adventures, Europe is known for stretching the limits of the palate.
From blue-veined Roquefort to fragrant Limburger, cheese-lovers have long been tempted by bold flavours and daring textures.
But is there really a traditional dish that takes things to a whole new level – complete with wriggling, live maggots?
Verdict:
TRUE
Europe's storied culinary landscape is filled with delicacies that range from the refined to the downright eccentric – but few foods spark as much curiosity as casu martzu, the infamous maggot cheese of Sardinia.
With a name that literally translates to "rotten cheese" in the Sardinian language (from "casu", meaning cheese and "martzu", meaning rotten or putrid), this regional specialty is as controversial as it is legendary.
Casu martzu starts its life innocently enough as a wheel of pecorino, the hard, briny sheep's milk cheese beloved across Italy.
But while pecorino is known for its robust flavour, casu martzu takes things several steps further by inviting in an unexpected guest: the larvae of the cheese fly, Piophila casei.
Traditionally, after the outer rind of the pecorino is cut open, cheese flies are allowed – or rather, encouraged – to lay their eggs in the cheese.
When the larvae hatch, they burrow through the curds, digesting the fats and breaking down the cheese's structure, which results in a soft, creamy texture and an intense, pungent aroma.
The experience is not for the faint of heart; the wriggling maggots can leap when disturbed, sometimes launching themselves several inches into the air.
Sardinians in the know are careful to shield their eyes when sampling a freshly cut wheel.
Casu martzu's roots run deep in the culture of Sardinia, and its considered a delicacy reserved for weddings, milestone birthdays, or special gatherings.
Despite its deep roots and local reverence, casu martzu has faced significant scrutiny in the modern era.
EU food safety regulations, concerned with hygiene and the potential health risks of eating live larvae, have banned its commercial sale and violators risk hefty fines.
Yet, like many outlawed delicacies, casu martzu has not disappeared. Instead, it has gone underground.
In Sardinia's rural villages, small-scale production continues, with wheels of cheese passed quietly between neighbours and friends, or presented at family feasts where tradition trumps legislation.
For many Sardinians, the ban is viewed as an affront to their heritage and a misunderstanding of the cheese's cultural significance.
While casu martzu might sound like a niche curiosity, it has achieved a certain global fame (or infamy) thanks to travel shows, food documentaries, and the ever-growing appetite for "extreme eats."
At the same time, casu martzu divides opinion, even among Sardinians – some relish it, while others balk at the idea of ingesting live maggots.
Despite the legal hurdles and its polarising reputation, casu martzu endures as a living symbol of Sardinian culture, a cheese that is at once ancient, rebellious, and uniquely alive.
It stands as a testament to the lengths people will go to preserve culinary heritage, even in the face of modern regulations.
For those bold enough to try it, casu martzu offers a taste of history – one that quite literally leaps off the plate.
References:
1. https://edition.cnn.com/ travel/article/casu-marzu- worlds-most-dangerous-cheese/ index.html
2. https://www.atlasobscura.com/ foods/casu-marzu-italy
3. https://www. nationalgeographic.com/travel/ article/culinary-guide- sardinia
4. https://www.smithsonianmag. com/arts-culture/five-banned- foods-and-one-that-maybe- should-be-48687965/
5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/ programmes/p054hhd7