Never have boil in the bag kippers.
Try buying "White" kippers - that is natural hot or cold smoked Herring rather than the usual variety which is dyed and sees very little smoke like the garish yellow boil in the bag types. Remove the head and tail, place skin side down on a plate and clingfilm. Make a few small holes in the clingfilm and microwave for 2.5 to 3 minutes. The main bone should pop out on its own. No smell in the cooking and finely tasted smoked fish. If you get a hot smoked variety you don't have to 'cook' them at all, just flake the meat of the bone.
Same goes for smoked haddocks, Arbroath smokies or smoked Cod (or for that matter smoked anything) - avoid those that are dyed yellow, they should be a very pale straw colour, slightly oily to the touch with some translucency in the flesh.
Try smoked Halibut as an alternative to smoked Salmon. If you can lay your hands on it smoked Dover Sole is a real treat as is smoked Cods Roe. You can also get very good smoked Octopus and Squids in tins.
