# Is rancid mozzarella a delicacy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 17, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294 "2009-02-17T17:40:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/1 "2009-02-17T17:40:40Z")
I am 99.9% sure that my roommate is full of s\*\*t about this, but I’m going to take a stab just to be absolutely sure: She says that rancid mozzarella (I mean, cheese that came fresh in liquid, had its expiration date last December, and smells… well, putrid) is a delicacy that is used in pastry! Tell me she’s wrong, for the love of God! ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/2 "2009-02-17T17:46:58Z")
Does [Casu Marzu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu) count? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/3 "2009-02-17T17:48:03Z")
There’s an Italian cheese called Casu Marzu which is allowed to turn rancid and then has fly larvae added. It’s not mozzarella, but it _is_ gross. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/4 "2009-02-17T18:13:08Z")
Oh, yeeeech! Doesn’t sound like pastry material! I knew it — she made it up! Typical. ---
**Author:** ![Cagey\_Drifter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@Cagey\_Drifter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cagey_Drifter)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/5 "2009-02-17T19:03:28Z")
she’s trying to trick you into eating it. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/6 "2009-02-17T19:12:34Z")
> [@Cagey\_Drifter](#): > > she’s trying to trick you into eating it. This was my thought. Rancid mozzarella wouldn’t be the same thing as casu marzu, either. Casu marzu is made from sheep’s milk, mozzarella is made from cow’s or water buffalo’s milk. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/7 "2009-02-17T20:34:36Z")
No. Now make her eat it all. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/8 "2009-02-18T03:51:00Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > Does [Casu Marzu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu) count? I like all sorts of weird cheeses, but this one sounds as if it could be over the top. Gotta love this: > [@](#): > > Casu marzu is considered toxic when the maggots in the cheese have died. Because of this, only cheese in which the maggots are still alive is eaten. When the cheese has fermented enough, it is cut into thin strips and spread on moistened Sardinian flatbread (pane carasau), to be served with a strong red wine… Because the larvae in the cheese can launch themselves for distances up to 15 centimetres (6 in) when disturbed, diners hold their hands above the sandwich to prevent the maggots from leaping into their eyes. Those who do not wish to eat live maggots place the cheese in a sealed paper bag. The maggots, starved for oxygen, writhe and jump in the bag, creating a “pitter-patter” sound. When the sounds subside, the maggots are dead and the cheese can be eaten. Yup - make that _really_ strong red wine. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/9 "2009-02-18T17:36:33Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Yup - make that _really_ strong red wine. Actually, bread and wine sounds really good. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/10 "2009-02-18T17:42:31Z")
I’m going to move this from General Questions to Cafe Society. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/11 "2009-02-18T21:09:44Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Actually, bread and wine sounds really good. OK, bread and wine while we listen to the “pitter-patter.” ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/12 "2009-02-19T00:54:39Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > OK, bread and wine while we listen to the “pitter-patter.” “Don’t feed me casu marzu and tell me it’s raining.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-rancid-mozzarella-a-delicacy/486294/13 "2009-02-19T02:17:18Z")
[It’s also illegal to sell in Sardinia, due to food safety issues.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu#Dangers) _shudder_