Sardinia's "Cheese with Worms" Makes the Media

Casu marzu or formaggio con vermi: Sardinia's cheese with worms

Obviously, you'll find a mention of casu marzu, Sardinia's maggot-riddled cheese, in every "Guide to Sardinia" on the market. How could you not? Who could resist writing about a traditional delicacy that is not only infested with fly larvae, but is also more or less illegal? (It may have gotten around the illegality recently by being declared a "traditional food," but you still can't buy it in Sardinian grocery stores.)

Trying casu marzu was an explicit goal of mine last time I visited Sardinia, and one I was lucky enough to accomplish. I was thrilled to finally take part in this weird, wonderful, and slightly freaky cultural experience. For the curious: the cheese is sharp and strong and you don't notice the worms if you close your eyes.

What I never anticipated was seeing a reference to casu marzu in American popular culture. Immagine my surprise when an infestation of maggots on the most recent episode of Bones was caused, not by a human corpse, but instead - you guessed it! - by an illegal Sardinian delicacy called casu marzu. I practically fell out of my chair. I guess the show must have someone researching all the harmless things that can possibly be mistaken for murder evidence, but still - with a little luck, maybe some national exposure like this will get people to realize what an interesting place Sardinia is.

Photo of casu marzu by Shardan, accessed through the Wikimedia Commons
Text Copyright 2010 Sara Harding