--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't know when pepper mills in a…" description: "\"I don't know when pepper mills in a restaurant got to be right behind frankincense and myrrh in prominence. It used to be in a little jar that sat next..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/erma-bombeck-780_behinds_i-don-t-know-when-pepper-mills-in-a-rest_2406220.png" --- # I don't know when pepper mills in a restaurant got to be… ![“I don't know when pepper mills in a restaurant got to be right behind frankincense and myrrh in prominence. It used to be in a little jar that sat next to the salt on the table and everyone passed it around, sneezed, and it was no big deal.” quote by Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/erma-bombeck-780_behinds_i-don-t-know-when-pepper-mills-in-a-rest_2406220.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/erma-bombeck-780_behinds_i-don-t-know-when-pepper-mills-in-a-rest_2406220.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/erma-bombeck-780_behinds_i-don-t-know-when-pepper-mills-in-a-rest_2406220.png) > “I don't know when pepper mills in a restaurant got to be right behind frankincense and myrrh in prominence. It used to be in a little jar that sat next to the salt on the table and everyone passed it around, sneezed, and it was no big deal.” [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote humorously laments how a once‑minor condiment has become overly emphasized, reflecting on changing culinary trends. **In simple terms:** Pepper mills have become too prominent compared to humble salt. Key Takeaway Notice and appreciate simple pleasures. Themes humor culture food nostalgia Mood playful reflective Type observational humorous When to use this quote - restaurant dining - home cooking - food marketing - cultural observation Key Concepts consumerism social change Questions to Reflect On - What small pleasures have you taken for granted? - How do trends shift our perception of importance? A Different Perspective May overlook the value of tradition in favor of novelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Big deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-deal/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Frankincense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frankincense-67164/) [Frankincense Myrrh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frankincense-myrrh-6041852/) [Jars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jars/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mills/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Passed Sneezed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passed-sneezed-6041853/) [Pepper Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pepper-mills-4278410/) [Peppers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peppers/) [Prominence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prominence/) [Restaurants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restaurants/) [Salt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salt/) [Sat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sat/) [Sneezed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sneezed/) [Sneezed Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sneezed-big-6041854/) [Tables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tables/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Used to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-to-be/) ## Related quotes > [Pepper mills (aka pepper grinders) rank just behind knives as primary causes of horrific kitchen accidents, according to an unofficial study that occurred in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-morocco/pepper-mills-aka-pepper-grinders-rank-just-behind-knives-as-primary/) [Chris Morocco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-morocco/) > [The words which express our faith and piety are not definite; yet they are significant and fragrant like frankincense to superior natures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-words-which-express-our-faith-and-piety-are-not-definite-yet-they/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There are stories told to him only at this time of year. 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