The Pantry Quiz #8

Multiple choice

At different times in history, and in different parts of the world, both salt and pepper have been used as currency. In the early years of the spice trade, which one was traded ounce-for-ounce for gold?

__________

Please leave your answer in the comments, and let us know whether you have the ingredient in your pantry.

[Last week's answer: Toponyms on the spice rack -- peppers named for their places of origin -- Cayenne (in French Guinea), piment d'Espelette (in France), Urfa pepper (in Turkey), Aleppo (also in Turkey). Several people guessed Szechuan pepper, which is a toponym, but is not a pepper.]

You can find most answers to The Pantry Quiz by using the search box at right, at the top of the page, to hunt for clues. Come back next Saturday for the answer to today's quiz question.

Comments

Pepper, and I do have it in many forms and varieties...I think it is an obsession.

salt

I have to agree with salt!

Pepper

Pepper. And I also have many types in my spice drawer.

Salt, and yes, I have more than one kind.

Salt. I have more than one kind too.

Must be pepper. Grains of paradise were used as a more affordable alternative -- and now they are expensive... Salt was available on the shores of every body of salt water, mined, etc.

Pepper. It was so valuable that the longshoremen who had to unload shipments of pepper had to wear pocketless uniforms so they wouldn't be able to hide peppercorns

You have completely stumped me this time! (And I didn't do so well last week either.)

I'm gonna have to go with salt too. Pepper makes things taste good. Salt actually was and is used to preserve food.

Umm. Salt as preservative, for sure. But these peppercorns, may or may not be "Grains of Paradise." In any case, happy seasoning. : )

pepper. we have a saying in dutch that says 'something is as expensive as pepper', when something is really pricey. And I have endless varieties of them. I'm a gigantic spice-hoarder...

Salt. It was used to preserve foods and other things.

salt

Pepper. I'm guessing pepper was much rarer to come by.

pepper. it really fueled all the exploratory sea voyages. Salt was expensive as well (Roman soldiers were paid in salt, hence salary), but pepper was more costly.
And yes, i have many forms of pepper in my pantry.

Salt. Compare the word "salary," from the Latin word for salt.

Salt. I currently have Brittany Sea Salt & regular sea salt. Love to try different kinds, the flavors are all so different!

SALT!