lox is smoked salmon fillet that has been cured and then often cold-smoked. The cold smoking does not cook the fish, resulting in its characteristic smooth texture, similar 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 noted for its importance in Ashkenazic Jewish cuisine.