system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is the combination of salt+pepper so integral to nearly every western savory dish?
gpt
Salt is common in the cuisine of every country that had ready access to salt. Peppers (of various types, not just black pepper) are also very common ingredients the world over. Add to that the fact that pepper was considered a luxury good during most of the development of European cuisine, and it's not surprising that it's as ubiquitous as it is today.