Imagine you are walking through the streets of Venice, happily eating your gelato and enjoying the warm weather and beautiful buildings. Suddenly a man jumps out at you from a side alley and says, “Boy have I got a proposition for you, Casu Marzu Cheese for 158 Euro, fresh from my warehouse! If you don’t buy it I’ll sell it for a much higher price on the Italian black market!”. What exactly is Casu Marzu cheese and why is a suspicious looking Italian man offering it to me. Casu Marzu cheese is an illegal kind of cheese, basically maggot cheese. It is made from sheep’s milk, after it curdles the crust is cut off and then flies lay their eggs in it. The larvae eat the cheese and live off of it. The larvae is very important because it gives the cheese a rich flavor and a soft texture. However if you eat it there is a good chance you could die because the maggots will go into your intestines. Now that you know this do you choose to accept the man’s proposition?
