[Sca-cooks] Salt and pepper

[david friedman]

>
>  > > reflecting the fact that folk above the salt were
>>  > grand enough to be given the luxury of extra salt
>>  if
>>  > they wanted it- it was too expensive to be given
>>  out
>>  > to mere servants, other than what might be already
>>  in
>>  > their food.
>
>>  Documentation for this statement? I have never heard
>>  that salt was not
>>  available.
>
>Don't think I said it was unavailable, merely
>expensive. And I have no doubt that, like anything
>else, the price varied depending on your location and
>time period, and such things as how close the ocean or
>the salt mines were, and how frequently traders came
>through with it.

Do you have any evidence? Consider that salt was used on a large
scale for preserving meat--not likely if it was too expensive to be
freely used for seasoning it.

Assuming that "above the salt" is a medieval term, what is your
evidence that it had anything to do with who was allowed extra salt?
One obvious alternative was that the salt container was a convenient
marker.

On the subject of adding pepper, the following is from Manuscrito
Anonimo (13th c. Andalusian):

"There are others who sprinkle ground pepper over the food when it is
cut for eating; this is a practice of the Christians and Berbers."
--
David Friedman
Professor of Law
Santa Clara University
ddfr at best.com
http://www.daviddfriedman.com/