The taste of true lox is incredibly salty and assertive “we think bagels with lox was invented because belly lox needed bread and dairy to cut it,” says Niki. (Like gravlax, which is cured in sugar and salt, there’s no smoking involved.) It’s the version of preserved salmon people ate before refrigeration was widely available salmon from the Pacific was hauled across the country in gigantic salt baths, and fed to the Jewish immigrants of New York before a morning at shul or a long day of work. Lox - or “ belly lox,” which is the actual name for it - is salmon that has been cured in salt. Hot-smoked salmon has a completely different texture - meaty and flaky, like cooked salmon.” Cured salmon has a similar texture, but without any smoke flavor. According to Niki, “cold-smoked salmon is the stuff that can be sliced so thin you can read the Times through it. Smoking is a process in which a food is exposed to, well, smoke - with a “cold-smoke” for salmon happening below 85☏, and a “hot-smoke” for salmon happening above it. Curing is a process in which a food is preserved in salt (and sometimes additional flavorings/aromatics).
There are two major cooking processes in play when discussing the salmons of the appetizing counter: curing and smoking. Luckily, Niki Russ Federman, the fourth-generation owner of Russ and Daughters, is here to talk us through it. That “bagel and lox” you eat on Sunday mornings… might not be a bagel and lox. But even being a New York Jew does not make you pre-programmed to know the differences between lox, Nova, and smoked salmon. You probably know a Jew or two - you might even be a Jew yourself. My dear readers, this might be one of those times - buckle up. Sometimes, some things are such a part of the fabric of our lives and our history and our surroundings that our sense of rightness about a certain topic feels almost innate.
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Nowadays, many hair care products come with built-in scalp benefits, but if yours needs extra consideration, try an astringent-based product to keep this sensitive area in tip-top condition.This post originally appeared in an edition of What’s the Difference?, a weekly newsletter for the curious and confused by New York City writer Brette Warshaw. While your locs end up getting most of the attention, it’s also important to give your scalp plenty of TLC to prevent dryness and dandruff. (And a healthy scalp is the foundation for healthy hair more on that in a bit.) Lavender oil, rosemary oil, and olive oil have all been shown to be powerful allies in the fight for stronger strands, so be on the lookout for products that include these ingredients. Natural oils can pack a powerful punch when it comes to the health of your hair or scalp. So when shopping for products-especially those designed to condition or repair-look at what your hair truly needs before choosing. No matter where you are on your loc journey, your hair still has its own unique needs, from being color-treated to sustaining days of high heat and humidity. What To Look For in Best Products for Locs Consider Your Individual Needs