img-0104

Casu marzu: The world’s ‘most dangerous’ cheese

The Italian island of Sardinia sits in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea, gazing at Italy from a distance. Surrounded by a 1,849-kilometer coastline of white sandy beaches and emerald waters, the island’s inland landscape rapidly rises to form hills and impervious mountains. And it is within these edgy curves that shepherds produce casu marzu, a maggot-infested cheese that, in 2009, the Guinness World Record proclaimed the world’s most dangerous cheese. Cheese skipper flies, Piophila casei, lay their eggs in cracks that form in cheese, usually fiore sardo, the island’s salty pecorino. Maggots hatch, making their way through the paste, digesting proteins in the process, and transforming the product into a soft creamy cheese. Then the cheesemonger cracks open the top — which is almost untouched by maggots — to scoop out a spoonful of the creamy delicacy. It’s not a moment for the faint-hearted. At this point, the grubs inside begin to writhe frantically. Some locals spin the cheese through a centrifuge to merge the maggots with the cheese. Others like it au naturel. They open their mouths and eat everything. Casu marzu is made with sheeps’ milk If you are able to overcome the understandable disgust, marzu has a flavor that is intense with reminders of the Mediterranean pastures and spicy with an aftertaste that stays for hours. Some say it’s an aphrodisiac. Others say that it could be dangerous for human health as maggots could survive the bite and and create myiasis, micro-perforations in the intestine, but so far, no such case has been linked to casu marzu. The cheese is banned from commercial sale, but Sardinians have been eating it, jumping grubs included, for centuries. “The maggot infestation is the spell and delight of this cheese,” says Paolo Solinas, a 29-year-old Sardinian gastronome. He says some Sardinians cringe at the thought of casu marzu, but others raised on a lifetime of salty pecorino unabashedly love its strong flavors. “Some shepherds see the cheese as a unique personal pleasure, something that just a few elects can try,” Solinas adds. Archaic cuisine It’s illegal to sell or buy casu marzu When tourists visit Sardinia, they usually wind up in a restaurant that serves porceddu sardo, a slowly roasted suckling piglet, visit bakers who sell pane carasau, a traditional paper-thin flatbread, and meet shepherds who produce fiore sardo, the island pecorino cheese. Yet, if you are adventurous enough, it’s possible to find the casu marzu. It shouldn’t be seen as a weird attraction, but a product that keeps alive an ancient tradition and hints at what the future of food might look like. Giovanni Fancello, a 77-year-old Sardinian journalist and gastronome, spent his life researching local food history. He’s traced it back to a time when Sardinia was a province of the Roman empire. “Latin was our language, and it’s in our dialect that we find traces of our archaic cuisine,” Fancello says. The cheese can only be produced at certain times of year when the sheeps’ milk is right There is no written record of Sardinian recipes until 1909, according to Fancello. That’s when Vittorio Agnetti, a doctor from mainland Modena, traveled to Sardinia and compiled six recipes in a book called “La nuova cucina delle specialità regionali.” “But we have always eaten worms,” says Fancello. “Pliny the Elder and Aristotle talked about it.” Ten other Italian regions have their variant of maggot-infested cheese, but while the products elsewhere are regarded as one-offs, casu marzu is intrinsically part of Sardinian food culture. The cheese has several different names, such as casu becciu, casu fattittu, hasu muhidu, formaggio marcio. Each sub-region of the island has its own way of producing it using different kinds of milk. ‘Magic and supernatural events’ Foodies inspired by the exploits of chefs such as Gordon Ramsay often come in search of the cheese, says Fancello. “They ask us: ‘How do you make casu marzu?’ It’s part of our history. We are the sons of this food. It’s the result of chance, of magic and supernatural events.” Fancello grew up in the town of Thiesi with his father Sebastiano, who was a shepherd who made casu marzu. Facello shepherded his family’s sheep to grazing grounds around rural Monte Ruju, lost in the clouds, where magic was believed to happen. He recalls that, for his father, casu marzu was a divine gift. If his cheeses didn’t become infested with maggots, he would be desperate. Some of the cheese he produced stayed for the family, others went to friends or people who asked for it. Casu Marzu is typically produced at the end of June when local sheep milk begins to change as the animals enter their reproductive time and the grass dries from the summer heat. If a warm sirocco wind blows on the cheesemaking day, the cheese-transforming magic works even harder. Fancello says it’s because the cheese has a weaker structure, making the fly’s job easier. After three months, the delicacy is ready. Mario Murrocu, 66, keeps casu marzu traditions alive at his farm, Agriturismo Sa Mandra, near Alghero in the north of Sardinia. He also keeps 300 sheep and hosts guests in his trattoria, and keeps casu marzu traditions alive. “You know when a form will become casu marzu,” he says. “You see it from the unusual spongy texture of the paste,” Murrocu says. Nowadays, this isn’t so much down to luck as the ideal conditions that cheesemongers now use to ensure as many casu marzu as possible. They’ve also figured out a way to use glass jars to conserve the cheese, which traditionally never lasted beyond September, for years. High fines Sardinia’s unusual cheese dates back to Roman times Though revered, the cheese’s legal status is a gray area. Casu marzu is registered as a traditional product of Sardinia and therefore is locally protected. Still, it has been deemed illegal by the Italian government since 1962 due to laws that prohibit the consumption of food infected by parasites. Those who sell the >>Read more
>>Read more
Types of Bikes: The Ultimate Bike Buying Guide

Welcome to the Co-op’s own ‘I’m new to cycling and I don’t know what type of bike I should buy’ guide. Here you’ll find the main types of bikes that people tend to speak about, demystified. Think of it as the ultimate bike types guide for beginners! Bike Buying Guide: Different bikes for different activities We usually recommend that you buy a bike for the kind of activity you want it for – although if you want to buy a bike just because you like the way it looks, that’s fine too! Do you want a bike mostly for commuting? Do you want a versatile bike that can handle both tarmac and dirt tracks well? Do you want to dress head-to-toe in lycra and attempt the land speed record? Many people who are new to cycling often opt for a mountain bike, purely because it somehow sounds like the most familiar. However, there’s really no need to buy a mountain bike unless you a) really like mountain bikes for whatever reason or b) want to go mountain biking. Here at the Co-op we tend to divide our bike types into the following categories based on the activity they’re used for: Road bikes: Roads. Mountain bikes: Off road. Hybrid or Commuter bikes: A bit of everything. Cyclocross bikes: A bit of everything, but with a road bike feel. Folding bikes: Commuting, leisure or touring for the short-on-space. Electric bikes: An electric-assisted bit of everything. Touring bikes: designed for carrying loads over longer distances while remaining comfortable for the rider. Women’s bikes: All of the above, designed specifically for women. Kids bike: bikes for kids We’ll look at each of these in turn so you can get a better idea of what bikes are used for what. Road Bikes As the name suggests, road bikes are designed to ride on the road. Can’t all bikes ride on the road, you wonder? They absolutely can. But road bikes are optimised to make road cycling as efficient as possible, and because of that they’d perform terribly on a mountain dirt track. Instead, road bikes are designed to help cyclists get the most out of the road, including the particular geometry (i.e. frame shape) of the bike, the width of the tyres, and the weight of the components. And just in case you were wondering; You won’t be able to buy a road bike with skinny tyres and transform it into a mountain bike by putting big, knobbly tyres on. Mountain bike tyres just won’t fit on, full stop. Defining characteristics: A lightweight frame, skinny tyres, drop handlebars (those are handlebars which curve back down underneath themselves) and a high gear ratio (i.e. The gears are set up to favour the ones that help you go really fast, if your legs and lungs are up to it.) Get a road bike if: You want fast, efficient cycling on tarmac roads for commuting, competing, or for fun. Don’t get a road bike if: You want to take it off the road. Skinny tyres means you won’t really be able to use a road bike on anything other than tarmac. Icy roads can also be a problem for road bikes. If you’re after a road bike, reading up on What Kind of Road Bike Should I Get? might be a useful five-minute read. Mountain Bikes Mountain bikes are designed to go on mountains or on off-road trails, which means they’re chunkier, have knobbly tyres on them, and a frame geometry which makes them better suited for seriously uneven terrain. Defining characteristics: Wide, knobbly tyres for traction, and a wide range of gears to help you get up and over mountains or across fields. Some bikes have front suspension but are rigid at the back (‘hardtail’), and some have front and rear suspension for cushioning jumps and drops (‘full suspension’ or ‘full sus’). Others have neither. Here’s our Guide to full suspension vs hardtail. Get a mountain bike if: You want to go mountain biking or mainly off road. Don’t get a mountain bike if: You want to go fast on tarmac roads, cycle long distances, or mostly knock about town. Hybrid or Commuter Bikes Hybrid bikes, or commuter bikes as they’re also known, are essentially a mixture between road bikes and mountain bikes. They give you the versatility to do a bit of everything. What you sacrifice in terms of speciality, you gain by being able to do what you want, when you want. Defining characteristics: Hybrid bikes have flat handlebars instead of drop handlebars. Some models have front suspension to cushion bumps in the road or on the track, and others don’t. They’re designed with versatility and comfort in mind, so they have the comfortable geometry of mountain bikes but with slicker, narrower tyres. The tyres can be changed for super knobbly tyres if you want to do a bit of off-roading, or slicker tyres if you’re commuting on tarmac, or something in between. Get a hybrid/commuter bike if: Your main use for the bike will be commuting and/or knocking about town, as well as occasionally going off road or mountain biking. Don’t get a hybrid/commuter bike if: You want to go full lycra and ride as fast as possible on roads, or tear down mountain bike trails as dexterously as possible. Cyclocross bikes Also simply known as ‘Cross Bikes’, these are bikes which follow the tradition of road cyclists in the olden days, who would swap their slick road tyres for knobblier tyres and continue to train during the winter months. A cyclocross bike could be the perfect year-round bike for you if you’re looking for a fast road bike that will cope with off-road excursions. Defining characteristics: The easiest to spot is the drop handlebars like a road bike, instead of the flat handlebars of a hybrid. Like a hybrid, there’s also enough clearance (space around the wheel) for knobblier tyres and mudguards. A cross bike has more of a road bike feel >>Read more
>>Read more
What is ChatGPT and its benefits? Advantages and disadvantages of chatbots

ChatGPT is an advanced conversational AI model developed by OpenAI, capable of generating human-like text based on the input it receives. It is an example of a chatbot, which is a computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users. The history of chatbots The history of chatbots dates back to the 1960s when computer scientist and inventor Joseph Weizenbaum created the first chatbot, called ELIZA. ELIZA was designed to mimic a therapist and used pattern matching and simple substitution algorithms to respond to user inputs. Since then, the development of chatbots has evolved rapidly with advances in AI, natural language processing, and machine learning. In the 1990s, the first commercial chatbots were developed for customer service and sales, allowing businesses to interact with customers through websites and messaging platforms. The rise of smartphones and messaging apps in the early 2000s led to a new wave of chatbot development, with chatbots being integrated into mobile apps and messaging platforms to provide customer support, entertainment, and other services. In recent years, the development of advanced conversational AI models like OpenAI’s GPT-3 has opened up new possibilities for chatbots, allowing them to generate more human-like responses and understand more complex inputs. Today, chatbots are widely used across various industries and applications, from customer service and e-commerce to healthcare and finance. With continued advancements in AI and machine learning, it is likely that chatbots will continue to play an increasingly important role in our daily lives. ChatGPT from OpenAI ChatGPT is a language model developed by OpenAI that uses deep learning algorithms to generate human-like text based on the input it receives. There are several reasons why ChatGPT is unique and valuable compared to other chatbots and language models: Advanced AI: ChatGPT is based on transformer architecture, a cutting-edge AI technique that has revolutionized the field of natural language processing. This allows ChatGPT to generate text that is more human-like and to understand the context in a more sophisticated way. Large-scale training: ChatGPT was trained on a massive corpus of text, allowing it to have a vast knowledge base and generate text that is relevant to a wide range of topics. Customizable: ChatGPT can be fine-tuned for specific use cases, allowing it to generate text that is tailored to specific domains or applications. Versatile: ChatGPT can be used for a wide range of tasks, from generating text for chatbots and virtual assistants to answering questions and providing recommendations. Advantages and disadvantages of chatbots Overall, ChatGPT’s advanced AI, vast knowledge base, and versatility make it a valuable tool for businesses, developers, and researchers looking to improve the quality and efficiency of their conversational systems. Advantages of chatbots Available 24/7: Chatbots are available to assist customers at all times, without the need for human intervention. Cost-effective: Chatbots can handle a large volume of customer inquiries, reducing the need for human customer service representatives. Efficient: Chatbots can handle multiple customer inquiries simultaneously, reducing wait times and providing quick responses. Personalization: Chatbots can provide personalized experiences by using machine learning algorithms to understand customer needs and preferences. Disadvantages of chatbots Limited understanding: Chatbots can only respond based on the information they were trained on and may not be able to understand complex inquiries. Limited empathy: Chatbots lack the emotional intelligence of human customer service representatives, and may not be able to provide empathy or emotional support to customers. Error-prone: Chatbots can make mistakes, such as providing incorrect information or responding inappropriately to customer inquiries. Limited creativity: Chatbots can only respond based on the scripts and algorithms they were programmed with, and may not be able to come up with creative solutions to customer problems. Overall, chatbots can be a useful tool for businesses looking to provide quick and efficient customer support, but it’s important to understand their limitations and ensure that customers receive the support they need.
>>Read more
Shark attack, Little Bay: The victim wouldn’t want the shark to be destroyed

The family of a diving instructor killed by a great white shark in Sydney insisted he would not want the animal to be destroyed. Simon Nellist, 35 – described as a ‘kind, considerate man who loved life’ – died just 100m from horrified beachgoers at Little Bay on Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Nellist, who grew up in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom, was due to marry his fiancée Jessie Ho this summer. His aunt Jacqui Seager, 62, said yesterday: ‘I don’t think Simon would want the shark to be killed. He loved nature. ‘He swam with sharks before. This isn’t the first time he’s gone out and seen them but he would still go out swimming. That’s brave. ‘I don’t think he ever thought they would hurt him. Sadly, this time it managed to get to him. ‘It’s absolutely horrendous. We are all in shock.’ Photographer Mrs. Seager, of Maidstone, Kent, added: ‘He swam most days. This is just a freak accident. It shows you can’t take life for granted.’ His death at Buchan Point on Wednesday forced authorities to close most beaches. Special ‘drum lines’ – aquatic traps using baited hooks to lure and capture large sharks – were set up in the water. However, they are controversial because sharks have died in them. They also often catch other wildlife. Mr. Nellist had hit out over their use saying they ‘protect no one’ and ‘need to go’. His death comes weeks before ‘smart’ drum lines were reportedly due to be installed which could have prevented the tragedy. Mother-of-three Mrs. Seager said: ‘He told his mum he was going to travel to Australia and that was that. He loved it so much that he stayed. ‘He met his girlfriend Jessie out there. They’re around the same age and instantly hit it off. They’ve been together for years. ‘She is totally in bits, as are his parents. I spoke to them last night and they are beyond belief. ‘They will never get through this – ever – as this is something you keep with you for life. I just feel so sorry for them. ‘They are planning to get out there as soon as they can but need to sort visas out. ‘Everyone was going to fly out there to see him get married in June or July but sadly it is now in much sadder circumstances.’ Mrs. Seager stressed: ‘Simon always loved the sea. He was always very close to it. He loved wildlife and the world. ‘He had a real love affair with nature. He was a very kind and considerate man who just loved life. He was a strong guy and did two tours of Afghanistan. ‘His mum said how could he return from the frontline unscathed to then go to Australia, go out for a swim, and get killed.’ Mr. Nellist served with the UK’s 34 Squadron, based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire. His shocked parents Mike and Rosemary, of Helston, Cornwall, declined to comment yesterday. Experts believe the shark which killed Mr Nellist on his daily swim was at least 10ft long and might have mistaken his wetsuit for a seal. He had been training for a swimming event on Sunday but it has now been canceled. Dr. Chris Pepin-Neff, of Sydney University, said such shark attacks were incredibly rare, with just ten or 12 of its kind in 30 years around the world. But he added: ‘It’s not crazy for sharks to bite humans thinking we might be prey.’ Mr. Nellist’s friend Della Ross described the diving community’s devastation, saying: ‘Everything that is connected to Simon is connected to the ocean. ‘The news hit us like a truck because he was one of the people who make this Earth lighter.’ Read more at DailyMail.co.uk
>>Read more
Securing your home against burglary

Make your home safer—and get insurance discounts, too Burglars won’t find your home an easy target if it’s well lit and features security measures that slow them down. Don’t let your home be an easy mark for theft and vandalism. Protect yourself and your belongings—and save on insurance premiums—by employing commonsense safety precautions. Check your home for security weaknesses and correct them Research shows that if it takes a thief more than four or five minutes to break into a home, he or she will go elsewhere. Take the time to “case” your house or apartment just as a burglar would and consider these steps to make it more crime-resistant, especially at points of easiest entry. Install simple security devices. Padlocks, door and window locks, grates, bars and bolts can increase the amount of time it takes to break into your home. Make sure the elements you already have in place are working properly. Invest in a burglar alarm. The most effective ones also ring at an outside service. Invest in security cameras. Cover key entry points and mount out of easy reach to deter tampering, these tell burglars that someone is watching. Trade a bit of privacy for added security. Trim trees and shrubs near doors and windows and think carefully before installing a high, wooden fence around your back yard. High fences and shrubbery can add to your privacy, but can also be an asset to a burglar. Shine a light. Force any would-be burglar out of the shadows. Exterior lights and motion detectors, mounted out of easy reach, can reduce the darkness shielding a would-be burglar. Keep valuables out of easy sight. If your valuable paintings, silver collection or home entertainment system are easy to see from outside the house, consider rearranging your furnishings to make your home less inviting to criminals. Home entry point security To help foil break-ins, strengthen the barriers at your home’s entry points. Of course, don’t sacrifice personal safety in this effort—whatever security features you install, make sure that you are able to easily escape in case of a fire or other emergency. Doors — Doors should be strong. Outside doors should be metal or solid hardwood, and at least one-and-three-quarters inches thick. Doorframes must be made of equally strong material, and each door must fit its frame securely. Even the most efficient lock, if it is placed in a weak door, will not keep out a determined burglar. A peephole or a wide-angle viewer in the door is safer for identifying visitors than a door chain. Sliding glass doors present a special problem because they are easy to open but, if you have these doors, you can find special locks for them. Locks — Deadbolt locks are best. They usually are locked with a key from the outside and a thumb turn on the inside. The cylinder (where the key is inserted) should be pick-resistant. Ask your hardware dealer for a reputable brand or buy your locks from a reliable locksmith. Windows — Key locks are available for all types of windows. Double-hung windows can be secured simply by “pinning” the upper and lower frames together with a nail, which can be removed from the inside. For windows at street level or on fire escapes, consider installing metal accordion gates. Home security habits Don’t inadvertently invite crime into your home—make these safety behaviors non-optional. Establish a routine to make certain that doors and windows are locked and alarm systems are turned on. Avoid giving information to unidentified telephone callers and announcing your personal plans online or in public notices (such as giving your address when advertising items for sale). Join with your neighbors to keep a close watch on what’s happening in your area—working together as a community is a good way to prevent crime. Notify the police and/or your neighborhood watch if you see suspicious strangers in your area. Don’t carry house keys on a key ring bearing your home address or leave house keys with your car in a commercial parking lot or with an attendant. Don’t hide your keys in “secret” places outside your home—burglars know where to look. Home security tips for when you’re away To prevent burglars and vandals when you’re away for vacation or business, it’s critical to make your home looked occupied and have friends and neighbors look out for suspicious activity. Some hints: Leave blinds open in their usual position. Notify dependable neighbors when you plan to be away; consider notifying police, as well. Arrange to have your lawn mowed in summer and your walk and driveway shoveled in winter. Stop newspaper deliveries and ask a neighbor to pick-up “throw-away” newspapers and circulars. Have mail and packages picked up by neighbors; alternately, have them forwarded or held by the post office. Lower the sound of your telephone ringer and answering machine so they can’t be heard outside. Use automatic timers to turn lights and a radio on and off in various parts of the house at appropriate times. Insurance benefits of home security measures Devices that make a home safer—such as dead-bolt locks, window grates and bars, smoke, fire or burglar alarm systems, and some security camera systems—make sense for your homeowners insurance bottom line, too. Most insurance companies provide discounts for qualifying security devices; check with your insurance professional for specifics.
>>Read more