New Food Wednesday: Sept 28, 2011

What beer would you pair with this cheese?

Today's new food has actually been banned for health reasons... find out why after the jump!



In Sardinia and parts of Italy this cheese has developed an underground fan club, yet it has been banned for health reasons.  I know what your thinking, "how can a culturally rich dish such as this possible be a danger to the health of the residents of Sardinia?" 

The problem isn't with the cheese exactly, it's with the small maggots (fly larvae) that make their home in the rind!

The following explanation is provided from the Wikipedia article on the subject:

"Derived from Pecorino, casu marzu goes beyond typical fermentation to a stage most would consider decomposition brought about by the digestive action of the larvae of the cheese fly Piophila casei. These larvae are deliberately introduced to the cheese, promoting an advanced level of fermentation and breaking down of the cheese's fats.. The texture of the cheese becomes very soft, with some liquid (called lagrima, from the Sardinian for "tears") seeping out. The larvae themselves appear as translucent white worms, about 8 millimetres (0.3 in) long When disturbed, the larvae can launch themselves for distances up to 15 centimetres (6 in). Some people clear the larvae from the cheese before consuming while others do not."

(for the complete article please visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu)

So this begs the question, what beer would you pair with such a rotten cheese?