Pepper and salt, an inseparable pair of Western cuisine

Salt and pepper are the basics of every kitchen, we would find them in every restaurant and just to be sure, we have them on every dining table. Why have these two ingredients captured the hearts of Europeans as well as the inhabitants of the North American continent? And what makes them get along so well?

The reason why salt and pepper have earned a firm place on our tables is their ability to enhance the flavor of the served dish. While salt can highlight the taste of proteins above all, pepper, on the other hand, adds its characteristic aroma where it would otherwise be missing.

Just potatoes, nothing more

We must realize that in the past, it was often the only way to add at least some emotion to food. Our ancestors did not always have so many ingredients and so many options for interesting seasoning. Often, the main ingredient on their plate was just potatoes and vegetables. Meat was a rarity, as were more exotic spices. That is why pepper and salt were the best way to season plain potatoes or root vegetables.

Interestingly, if we look at other parts of the world, pepper and salt do not play such a prominent role. In Asia, their place is taken by fish sauce or crushed red chili. In Mexico, it is lime, salsa, and coriander, and in Ethiopia, for example, it is awaze paste, whose base is chili.

Rarity

However, let us not think that salt and pepper were readily available seasonings in every tavern already in the Middle Ages. At that time, salt was more available, but it was not used for seasoning but mainly for its preservative properties. Large quantities of meat and fish were salted, which allowed these ingredients to survive long journeys across oceans.

It was sailors who eventually began to import pepper from afar, which was originally a commodity for the elite. Its wider popularization happened only in the 18th and especially the 19th century, when the combination of pepper and salt began to appear on tables more and more frequently.

The right choice for our grinders

We preserve the tradition to this day, and that is why pepper and salt are the most used combination of spices and seasonings in the kitchen. And now we know that when both ingredients are of high quality, it is enough to make the dish simply divine! With our Kampot pepper you will always season flawlessly, and with coarse sea salt from Kampot suitable for grinders you will perfectly flavor anything you are currently preparing. Various colorful grinders will help you decide which one to assign to which ingredient!