(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.