A silly question, I know, and completely out of the blue. I'm not even currently planning a trip to Venice, where I understand it's a specialty, but I'm afraid I'll forget to ask later. I want to know before confronting it on a menu how it will taste... and I would rather have an idea than ask the waiter, "Does it taste fishy?"

So, as strange a question as it may seem, I am completely serious... Can someone enlighten me on what this stuff tastes like?

very mildly fishy, more salty than anything but not too salty imo
Not as fishy, nor salty, than say, anchovies
The pasta in the dish is just as important a flavor, it's not like drinking the squid ink by itself

I had this for the first time in an Italian restaurant in Paris. It was slightly salty, as elaine says, no actually fishy but had a sea like flavor..if they make it well, it is wonderful

I'm happy you will try it. It is wonderful, depending on the recipe you will get the calamari flavor or not. It comes from the sac of the cuddlefish and how dark the dish will be is how much they use. You can buy squid ink on line. Why not try some with your pasta sauce and see if you like it.

Very slight salt taste as elaine said. Not really that much flavor, but more of a mild trace flavor.

I had squid ink pasta a few years ago, although in the US. What remained with me was the unusual mouthfeel; it wasn't offensive, just unusual. It is beautiful and fun to eat, cuz, come on, how often do you get to eat BLACK pasta??

Jocylyn, you can buy squid ink pasta on line. And how you prepare whether fresh ink or packaged, it doesn't have to be salty but will give you a "sea" taste.
Those of you who have visited Spain otr Japon, most likely tasted it.

I once (a longggg time ago) served "Stuffed Squid in It's Own Ink Sauce". I had squid and one recipe. I don't remember the sauce tasting of anything special.

I do remember that many of the guests were totally freaked out. LOL I don't socialize with or cook for them to this day!

I love risotto with squid ink. The first time I had it was at the Il Mercato restaurant in Milan. I would encourage anyone to try it at least once. Not a strange question at all IMO. Do let us know how you like it!!

I was wondering the same thing actually. I have decided that I can live a long and full life without ever eating squid ink. I can find no reason to eat squid ink. Now, if you really want a GOOD Venetian specialty, have the calves liver!!!!! YUM!!!

If you tell someone what a dish is and it's something they THINK they don't like they will freak out. I once made Beef Stroganoff years ago for my FIL who hates sour cream, he loved it!
My cousin hated lamb,yet raved about the dinner and later when I said it was lamb, she was upset.

Excuse my ignorance, but does squid (do squid) have shells? What about the adventurous eaters among us who are allergic to shellfish? Are we likely to be allergic to squid also? I know, I know, this may be a medical question, and I'm not about to dash out and eat any. Just wondering if any of you know.

Hi crefloors, I love the Ventian liver also, but some people I know gag at the thought of liver. And I love lamb, but know people that will not touch it. What, to me, is funny (both LOL and strange funny) is that none of the people have eaten liver or lamb. So how do they know if they like it or not? Mimi, I broiled lamb chops one night for my grandson. I didn't realize it but he thought he was eating a small steak. He told me after dinner that he thought that was the best steak he had ever eaten. I said &quot;oh honey, that was lamb chops&quot;. He actually went pale and said &quot;oh Grandma, I <i>hate</i> lamp chops! I responded &quot;I guess not&quot;, LOL.

no squid is like octopus
you know it as calamari, no shell at all ( with tenticles)

Squid ink is really very mild tasting, but a little salty. I agree with the person who said it tastes like the sea. Pasta with squid ink is pretty popular in Sicily, but I don't remember ordering it in Sicily. (I'd had it before and I liked it but didn't love it.) I don't understand what people think is so strange or disgusting about it though.

I hate calves liver--can't stand the texture. I used to like pork liver when my grandmother made it, but now I can't even find pork liver, not even at a pork butcher at the pork butcher in the local farmers' market. (What happens to all those pigs' livers, I wonder.)

That's right, Mimi! Thanks for your response. I'd forgotten that squid is calamari, which if prepared well is, as Rachel Ray would say, yummo.

Hi loveitaly: isn't it funny about food. I guess it's the eye appeal, or NOT...I just can't eat black pasta!!! LOL But now I'm heading for Denmark and Sweden the first of the year and am going to eat pickled herring any way I can find it and as much as I can consume and I know some people are going &quot;oh yuk, yuk yuk!!!!&quot; LOL My grandmother was swedish so I ate a lot of that kind of stuff but must say that herring, like shushi, IS an aquired taste. Tastes like chicken. It took me along time to work up to snails..started with dipping my bread in the butter. I STILL have to close my eyes when I eat 'em though..they look HORRIBLE!!! Little black slimy things that they are, but yummy just the same.

LoveItaly: I was shocked to learn recently that a few people I know in the US had NEVER eaten lamb! It was such a common meat when I was growing up, and I assumed it was a staple in most meat-eating American families. It was ALWAYS the meat eaten at Easter and sometimes at Christmas. I know a lot of people who hate it becaue of the smell. although I like lamb myself, I think I know what they mean about the smell, but I just don't react the same way to that certain smell and taste.

IMO, squid ink tastes just like cuttlefish. I hope this does not lead to the next logical question as to what is cuttlefish. I remember eating those small herring-looking things as a kid for brekfast in Eastern Europe, so when I first tasted pasta with squid ink, it was like a major-major de ja vue [sp]. It is relatively tasty. Not amazing, but interesting.

Anna Roz

Firstly, anything from the sea that is not totally fresh has the potential of having that fishy taste--this item is no exception. A good way to try it might be in a side-dish as my initiation was, that way if you aren't crazy about it you aren't going away hungry and the poorer for it at that!

I had a lovely risotto set off with squid ink one evening at La Duree on the Champs &Eacute;lys&eacute;es. It is not something I would have ordered, had I realized what it was, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was not fishy at all and (as someone mentioned already) I found a slight mineral taste. I think the secret was that they didn't over do it on the squid ink; it complemented the dish rather than overwhelming it.