<Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This article relies largely or entirely on a single source . Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page . Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources . (January 2015) </Td> </Tr> <P> Salt and pepper is the common name for edible salt and black pepper, which are traditionally paired on dining tables where European - style food is eaten so as to allow for the seasoning of food . They may be considered condiments or seasonings; salt is a mineral and black pepper is a spice . </P> <P> The pairing of salt and pepper as table accessories dates to seventeenth - century French cuisine, which considered pepper (distinct from herbs such as fines herbes) the only spice that did not overpower the true taste of food . They are typically found in a set of salt and pepper shakers, often a matched set . Salt and pepper are typically maintained in separate shakers on the table, but may be mixed in the kitchen . Some food writers, like Sara Dickerman, have argued that in modern cookery, a new spice could be used in place of black pepper . </P> <P> In Hungary, paprika may replace pepper on the dinner table . </P>

When did salt and pepper become a pair