How did this innocent fish fare get to be the symbol of “upgrade” at a Jewish brunch celebration? How did lox become the valet parking of breakfast or the real dishes and silverware of lunch?
Why is it that lox has come to symbolize going all out for a dairy/parve event?
I’m thinking that with the hesitation to serve meat products in our community in the early part of the day, there had to be a substitute that would make a suitable replacement for the often-craved meat products.
When salami or steak or facon is not available, what does one do?
Would herring suffice? Sardines come to the rescue? Gefilte fish the go-to?
The winner was lox, presumably for its universal likeability, flat and easy to maneuver slices and its reputation for being fancy but not too expensive.
So next time you hear a bagel and lox consumer say it’s like a bris without the baby, there just might be something to that.
