Salt and pepper may be the most ubiquitous combination of seasonings in history. It's almost impossible to think of one without the other. Of course, they didn't start out as an inseparable duo, but when did they become such an iconic couple? Burlap and Barrel recently provided the backstory in a Threads post, explaining the history behind this pairing.
You probably already know about mankind's long history of using salt, which supplies sodium, an essential nutrient for our neurological functioning. (If you aren't familiar with salt's importance throughout human history, read Mark Kurlansky's excellent book Salt: A World History.) It's been around for thousands of years, probably a little longer than peppercorns, which also have been used for eons. People in South Asia cooked with the spice for thousands of years. Pepper was so prized that it was - like salt - used as a form of currency along trade routes. So when did the two seasonings meet up? According to Burlap and Barrel, Louis XIV played a large role.
The king's chefs used a light hand with seasoning because the monarch preferred his food simply seasoned. For the chefs, that meant using salt for its obvious flavor-enhancing properties, and pepper, because it added warmth without overt spiciness, and it also enhanced the flavor of foods without overshadowing them. As French cuisine ascended in popularity, the pairing of salt and pepper became the default for cooks worldwide.
Burlap and Barrel offered this explanation as part of their promotion of its new Salt and Peppercorn Medley, which features Zanzibar black peppercorns, fermented white peppercorns, cardamom, Timur pepper, and last but not least, Tanzanian pearl salt in the perfect size for grinding alongside the other spices. At $9.99 for 3.3 ounces, it's pricey for a simple blend, but Burlap and Barrel's products are always great. (Note: neither EYB nor I received any consideration for this post or the link, I just thought it was interesting).