Subtitles section Play video
-
(mellow music)
-
- [Narrator] On the Italian island of Sardinia,
-
there's a delicacy that has been consumed
-
for thousands of years.
-
It is known as the world's most dangerous cheese.
-
Yeah, you heard right.
-
(mellow music)
-
Meet Simone Ibba, a third generation sheep farmer.
-
- [Narrator] Casu marzu literally means rotten cheese,
-
and it's not for the faint of heart,
-
because this cheese is infested
-
with thousands of live maggots.
-
And while that might seem a bit off-putting at first,
-
it's the maggots that give the cheese
-
its distinctive texture and flavor.
-
Here's how it works.
-
First, a traditional wheel of pecorino cheese
-
is made from sheep's milk.
-
Then a special fly called a cheese fly
-
is allowed to lay its eggs in it.
-
- [Narrator] Over the course of two to three months,
-
the maggots eat the cheese, and then excrete it out again,
-
transforming it into the soft and creamy casu marzu.
-
- [Narrator] Today, it's a favorite for special occasions,
-
like weddings and birthday parties.
-
But eating this cheese can be dangerous.
-
- [Narrator] Even though cases like this are extremely rare,
-
it's risky enough that the cheese is illegal to sell.
-
But farmers like Simone continue to make it for themselves.
-
- [Narrator] And they just can't get enough.