Why was black pepper so expensive in Europe?

>>3263060
Nowadays it's used in almost everything, so take a guess,

>>3263070
But why europeans had to import black pepper from Africa and not produce it in their own countries? Did they fear the black farmer?

>>3263060
Pepper was considered exotic and a flavor enhancer. Much like any other things that improved flavor, (ie salts, sugar, lemons, and so on). It cost money to import it and produce it. Black pepper was from India and before the colonial empires of Europe got to setting up trade there, it was nearly unseen in Europe until the late middle ages and up into the renaissance (~1350~1600)

Of course we know Venice was all to familiar with Pepper in their spice trade but the cultivation of pepper was not wide spread at all during the middle ages or there after or before.

To this day south east asia still holds the largest export of pepper and to this day, it's still considered a bit expensive at around 1 us dollar per ounce as opposed to something like sugar which at one time was much higher prices than pepper.

>>3263081
Pepper fares better in tropical climates.

>>3263091
> it was nearly unseen in Europe until the late middle ages and up into the renaissance (~1350~1600)

except there's records of some Roman neet complaining about how much money goes out of the empire every year just on peppercorns.

>>3263081
>import black pepper from Africa
what?

>>3263060
Because Pepper was grown in the southern part of India. From there it was traded in a bucket chain, meaning one merchant would transport it from one point in the trade route to the next and sell it for a profit. Before it reached Europe, it changed hands at least a dozen times, and hence became insanely expensive. This was the old way, before Portuguese learned to sail the seas.

>>3264940
it's called BLACK for some reasons right?

>>3264932
Naturally I should have given a fair background of the entire history of Peppercorns but alas I am not a History teacher and this is not a History class.

When OP asked why it was so expensive, I assumes the anon meant during the middle ages. After the Fall of Rome the Spice trade in the majority of Europe took a major hit and did not recover for some time up until the late middle ages and renaissance as I explainrd in my last post.

During this period where peppercorns were hard to come upon, say in England or France, the price of Peppercorns were very expensive and even there after it remains expensive to this day because of its realitively exotic traits that permit it from being mass cultivated in the West. Of course I'm not Into economics that much or do I follow to this day the growth rate of black peppercorn, what I do know is some of the world's biggest exporters of Peppercorns comes from Asia and Africa, not Europe.

As for specific records of the price of Peppercorns during the time of Rome, I find that very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

>>3264940

Not him, But aren't some varieties of pepper from Africa?

>>3266067
Yes, Guinea pepper for example. They where well known and imported in Europe in the 14th century.

>>3263070
I hear the modern custom of ubiquitous black pepper use is entirely due to the preferences of some king (probably French), I mean think about it why black pepper? Why not red pepper, or cinnamon, or nutmeg?

Some influential king wanted black pepper at his table, it became the fashion, and no one thought about it since.

>>3263060
Supply. Demand. Transportation costs. Ineffective production. Transaction costs.

>>3266648
doubtful, provide source please.

>>3266680
What part of "I heard" didn't you understand?
I don't have a source.
Do you have an explanation as to why we chose black pepper to be the standard compliment to salt rather than some other spice? If so I'm all ears.

>>3266583
From Sierra Leone to the Ivory Coast was known as the 'Pepper [Malagueta] Coast' before the 19th century (as opposed to the Grain Coast.) The Portuguese of course had a brief period where they maintained a monopoly over the region's trade, but France, Holland, and even Normans would trade for peppers there during the Middle Ages.

>>3263060
Explain "why imported goods are expensive" to yourself

just out of curiosity, was there any substitute for spiciness besides onions and garlic in Europe?
I know my dad showed some kind of red forest fruit that was very sour but also mildly spicy (Romania)

>>3268522
Citrus was a common flavor enhancer and Honey as well. In fact honey has enzymes that marinate meat and make it very tender, it can also be fermented and turned into an alcoholic beverage call need, I believe.

As for other spices, certain spices were very limited until around the mid to high middle ages and around the time of the Crusades where old trade routes reconnected.

Some of these spices like anise, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, saffron, cumin, caraway seeds, and even mustard.

A substitute for pepper was hard because it has a relatively unique flavor, and a delicate spice that leaves a mid burning sensation in one's mouth. This kind of flavor was not very competitive to any other spice as how nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves mat all compare really well to one another.

>>3269646
>>3268522
https://www.mnn.com/food/beverages/stories/how-make-your-own-honey-mead

Mead is honey liquor