Thinking Soup: Another Reason Language Learning is Important

(Not for the weak of stomach)

The sun had just begun to set over distant hills.   Their rounded peaks were crested in light.  Bright orange filled the sky and darkness spread below.  Our car came, jittering over old cobblestone streets.  The tiny town, set outside a major city in Turkey never expected us to show up. 

We walked into the restaurant, intending to just have a light meal prior to returning home.  We received menus and my friend asked what I wanted.  “I’m thinking soup,” I replied. 

We both looked over the chorba options.  I quickly spotted my personal favorite: merjimek (lentil).  Upon ordering, the waiter replied, “yok,” meaning they actually didn’t have it.  He mentioned they had four options other than lentil soup.  I glanced back down at the menu and realized I didn’t understand any of them except for karishik, meaning “mixed”.  I concluded that it must be some sort of vegetable soup.  The waiter explained how it was the other three soups mixed together. 

“I’ll take it.”

Not knowing what I just ordered I decided to use the translator on my phone to look up the words.  I looked up, ishkembe or “intestines.”  I ate this in Central Asian buckwheat.  They boiled buckwheat with intestines and other delicacies overnight.  The first time I ate it I actually liked it.  I can handle this!

Secondly I looked up, kelle pacha or “head cheese.”  Head cheese refers to a jelly made with flesh from a cows head.  Okay I’ve had that before.  It tastes like a cow smells…I can’t say I liked it… but I can’t say I hated it.  I can get through that.” 

And lastly, I looked up the final ingredient: beyin.  Shining up at me from my phone’s screen was a word I wasn’t sure I could handle.  At that exact moment the soup bowl was set down right in from of me.  And I could see for myself what I was in for: Brain.

The description is almost exactly as you would imagine. 

After receiving the bowl I couldn’t restrain my laugher.  What a moment of life.  I was thinking soup for dinner but didn’t expect to actually get “thinking soup.” 

I ate it.

The side salad really complemented the brain taste. 

The next day I went to language class and relayed my experience to my language teacher.  She responded as though I’d just eaten chicken soup, “Oh yeah, brain soup!  It’s so healthy.  You should also try brain salad.  Very delicious.”

I think I’ll take her word for it.