Salt and Pepper

Salt is mostly a flavor enhancer, while pepper adds more levels of flavor. Pepper contains piperine, which has a mild heat, as well as many flavor notes ranging from earthy to citrusy and floral. Salt is a seasoning, and pepper is a spice! Together, they create a burst of flavor that can be added to most recipes. Salt & pepper is a must-have in the pantry. 

The best salt & pepper combos are a blend of both that makes it easy to add salt and pepper to any dish. The ratio of salt to pepper can change depending on your taste but we recommend starting with 1 part pepper and 3 parts salt for a balanced flavor. Our Salt & Pepper Tableside Seasoning is great both in cooking or to season a finished dish. And our newest smoked S&P blend, Black Label Reserve Smoked Salt & Pepper, is a sophisticated way to add subtle smoke flavor to any dish.

Freshly ground black pepper tastes better because it has a spicier, fresher flavor. Ground pepper that's not as fresh can lose its spice and flavor over time. If your pepper smells musty, dusty, or doesn't have a smell, it's time to freshen it up. If you like grinding peppercorns in a grinder, try our Tellicherry Peppercorns or Malabar Peppercorns. If you want to keep freshly ground pepper on hand, use Fine Black Malabar Pepper – or for a different pepper flavor, White Sarawak Pepper.

Sea salt is high quality when its pure, with no additives or anti-caking agents. There are both wet and dry salts so the moisture, mineral content and color will vary depending on the type of salt. Some of our most popular high-quality sea salts are our Coarse Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and Fine Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, as well as our Italian Black Truffle Sea Salt, which blends pure sea salt with highly prized black truffles imported from Italy. French Fleur de Sel is widely considered the highest quality sea salt available, and is fantastic for finishing dishes. 

While it might be surprising to hear, gourmet salts can actually be a good value. While they tend to be slightly more expensive, you often use them sparingly so they will last for a long time. Gourmet salts, like Arctic Thyme Salt or Whiskey Barrel & Hickory Smoked Salt are great for everyday dishes as well as gourmet meals. While you can use fancy salt in cooking, we think the best way to use flavored salts like our Black Garlic Salt is to finish a dish or toward the end of cooking. This will maximize the gourmet salt flavor!