We prefer specialty fish treats for the holidays. My ex buys the salmon (either wild sockeye, or there is a very good quality of farm-raised Atlantic salmon from Norway) and cut it into the right sized pieces. I made the brine (two bowls because recipients like different levels of saltiness) and they're in the fridge till about midnight when they will be washed off and left on plates in the fridge to form a crust over the fish that then helps catch the smoke from the smoker tomorrow. Low-temperature smoke using a Little Chief smoker. We'll divide this batch between three of us this year because the most distant child isn't going to fly for xmas this year. So we sent him his own Little Chief smoker and for xmas he can open that and make his own fish. My sister lives up there and can point him to places to buy good salmon for this project.