Minengeschmack

Minengeschmack is a synthetic byproduct of the purification of carbonate ores in the mountain mines of Erdelan. It was discovered accidentally by miners during the early Y300s Age of Complexity, who found that their packed meals tasted different if stored closer to the refiners' chimneys. Alchemists of the refinery forges soon learned how to isolate and separate the byproduct that caused this unusual change in flavor, and the resultant flakes became a highly coveted commodity in mining and smelting outposts. However, MGS as an intentional condiment did not see widespread adoption within dwarven homes until the ration years of the War of Great Sorrow, as it stretched the flavor of the often-meager portions of protein afforded to soldiers and civilians alike.

Minengeschmack, Fëlsalt, and Süssig are known as the three "mother seasonings" of dwarven cuisine. With the exception of a few hardy mountain herbs, traditional dwarven recipes rarely (if ever) use other flavoring agents. Since the coloration of the three seasonings is sometimes difficult to differentiate, they are traditionally kept on the table in differently-shaped containers, with MGS almost always stored in a square-lidded shaker.   Some elves and half-elves report mild to moderate allergic reactions to foods seasoned with Minengeschmack. Symptoms of these reactions vary widely, and may include headaches, indigestion, bloating, weak constitution, and general malaise. Commonly accepted wisdom among elven sages attributes this reaction to the elves' fey ancestry, as MGS is known to be toxic in even extremely small doses to several species of fey, including kitsune and sprites. However, no such reactions have been observed in any other mortal species, including elfdwarves, and the affected fey species' similar intolerance for alcohol have not been observed in elves (outside of a few extremely rare cases better explained by other conditions).