Ever wonder why restaurants make such a big to-do with peppermills? Obviously many people like freshly ground pepper but it goes beyond that. It’s a grand gesture that suggests hospitality and attention to details. Diners often reason that if a restaurant will bother with fresh pepper it must bring the same degree of attention to its cooking.
Throughout the 19th century, Americans were lukewarm to the idea of grinding their own pepper. The custom was mainly followed in restaurants run by ethnic proprietors. Around 1900 some people questioned whether modern Americans wanted to spend their precious time grinding pepper. So Old World! But then, in the 1950s, competitive restaurateurs returned to the practice, mainly as a novelty. It was an attention getter and some, like the dining room shown above at the Minuet Manor Motel near Altoona, Pennsylvania, put their collections on display. Evidently peppermills were quite the thing in Los Angeles around 1955 because there were at least two manufacturers there.
Trouble was, though, when small grinders were placed on tables patrons had a way of walking off with the cute little things. The solution: large unpocketable grinders deployed by the waitstaff.
© Jan Whitaker, 2008
We eat in restaurants several times a week and yet know very little about their history. I plan to dip into my archive of research and images every so often to present a little tidbit that highlights aspects of our American restaurant culture. Let me know your thoughts.
