Lesson 4: Bring translation guide to every meal

Sara's family has been a huge help in my transition process. They have translated papers, talked to officials for me, and introduced me to new Spanish/Basque cuisine. Sara's Dad still tries to take me to lunch every week to make sure I am eating a "proper" meal. He even calls me from time to time to ask me what I had eaten that day. Honestly though, I think he just uses lunch as an excuse to check on me and knows I'm a sucker for a free meal... You know the old saying: "Keep your friends close, your enemies closer."

Last week he took me to lunch to a place near my flat. Now from previous experiences, I have picked up on what most food items are. I know the meats, I know the vegetables, but the different kinds of seafood are hard to remember, and there are a lot of names for things that are in Basque that don't translate the same in Spanish.

When I opened up the menu there were a lot of things that I understood, but didn't like to eat. And of course I could take the safe route and go for the steak or the veal, but I am trying to open myself to new and interesting things. So I asked Sara's Dad about one of the dishes I didn't know, txipirones en su tinta. He said it was a kind of fish and that that particular plate was a specialty of the restaurant and the Basque country. I also saw it came with txangurro (crab). So I ordered it, and so did he.

However, I was not prepared for what I received. The waitress placed in front of me a plate covered in a thick black sauce with a side of mashed potatoes. I knew it, he was trying to poison me! Under the oil-looking sauce was something that was familiar to me from other plates, squid and tentacles. Squid is usually delicious here, and its normally grilled with some sweet sauce, but this looked like they accidentally sliced open the squid's ink sack and just left it on the plate.

I must have had a sour look on my face, because Sara's Dad asked me if I wanted to get something different. Me being a proud American, denied the request. The first bite actually wasn't that bad. The taste is indescribable but it is very thick, and as I ate more and more I could feel the ink lining the walls of my stomach. I decided to eat some of the mashed potatoes to help me. Surprise, they weren't mashed potatoes, they were the crab sorbet'd with some other white stuff.

About half way through I pushed the plate away. He asked me if I wanted a different plate, but I said no. I knew anything I ate would have the taste from that black sauce. My tongue and lips had already turned black from eating it. He said, "Fine, if you don't let me order you something new, you have to eat the whole thing." Again, my pride got the best of me. I didn't even argue, I just wanted to get it over with, so I scarfed down the rest.

Overall, am I glad I ordered it? yes. Would I order it again? no. But it's always a good idea to try new things, I mean, how many people can say they've eaten squid ink? Then again, how many people would like to say they have?