Friday, August 11, 2006

A Bite of Gravad Lox

What is LOX? A typical Lox is salmon fillet that has been brined in a solution of water, salt, sugar and spices; then cold-smoked. The cold smoking does not cook the fish, but results in a pleasant smokey flavor and a smooth texture attribute, comparable to the raw product.

The English word is derived from the Yiddish lox, "salmon"; which is a cognate of Swedish "lax", Danish/Norwegian "laks", German "Lachs", and Old English "læx". It is often served with bagels and cream cheese. Lox is prominent in Jewish cuisine.

A Gravad Lox is a Scandanavian traditional appetizer, that is not smoked but coated with a mixture of spices. It is then weighed down to force the moisture out. The cured fillet is thinly sliced and served in the same fashion, either in a sandwich or a one biter appetizer; generally with mustard-dill sauce.