Condiments: Salt and Spices

Historically, the two most common condiments in America have been salt and pepper. Salt was the early colonists’ most important condiment and was used as a preservative and a seasoning on a wide range of foods. In early colonial times domestic production did not meet demand, and salt was imported from England, France, Spain, and the West Indies. In the early eighteenth century, salt deposits were located in the British North American colonies. During the American Civil War, Northern armies controlled the major salt deposits and the South was cut off from them, causing severe problems in the preservation of food and the making of gunpowder.