Gourmet gifts are easy to give as one can really use one's imagination and put together ideas that would be very creative. But giving a gourmet gift involves a lot of thought because here is something that is totally dependent on the receiver's likes and dislikes. What has to be kept in mind here are allergies and medical no-nos in terms of some types of food. One really sees no point in giving chocolates to some one with say, diabetes. Smoked salmon would be a disaster for a vegetarian and so on. You just would not give anything that had alcohol or liqueur in it to a teetotaler. Ideally a gourmet gift would work well for someone whom you know very well and where you are aware of the person's likes and dislikes.

Chocolates have always been an accepted gift, but today, you'll find smoked salmon is finding its way up the list too. Smoked salmon like the Alaska sockeye salmon as well as most cold-water fish is fairly healthy for those suffering from cholesterol, blood pressure, or high sugar levels. This is due to their omega-3 fatty acids, otherwise known as polyunsaturated fats and will not give grief to the person eating it. It is known to be beneficial for oxygen absorption, prevention of inflammation, prevention of premature aging, blood pressure and cholesterol regulation and it also boosts the existing immune system.

The thing with smoked salmon is that it can be served at any time of the day and elevates a meal to 'gourmet' with its presence. It does great as an entre, does even better as a main course and can be served as finger food or as a starter or just as an accompaniment to drinks. It can be ordered online and the suitability of the gift stretches from executive gifts to a housewarming do. Italian restaurants have added smoked salmon to their pasta and this has met with a lot of success mainly due to the potential health benefits of omega-3.

Smoked Alaskan Salmon has a wonderful flavor and exquisite texture and its deep red color makes it the most preferred among tender delicate salmon of all the wild salmon varieties. Smoked salmon looks good on the grill as well. The fact that it comes packed in a classic wooden box makes it ideal for gifting. It also comes packed in foil or as ready-to-eat or in retort vacuum packaging and requires no refrigeration till it is opened.

With so much of change everywhere, the corporate world too has realized the potential of these beautiful wooden boxes with eight ounces of smoked salmon of the best kind as a gift alternative as here is something that one would not really have on a regular basis. It makes a gift special and unique and raises it above the run of the mill. Chocolate is a great gift but salmon is exclusive, healthy and stylish. In today's world, smoked salmon says it all. Who says being fishy isn't being classy?