Old-fashioned Southerners know few things are slower than molasses in winter. They also know that no matter how long it takes, pouring that molasses is worth the wait.
The dark, sugar-cane syrup imparts a deep, homey flavor -- as well as a shot of sweetness -- to baked goods, meats and other dishes.
One whiff of an open jar of molasses might turn off the uninitiated -- the sweetener bears a strong, almost smoky odor. But molasses wins over even skeptics once they sample its flavor in gingerbread, pork loin, chicken, muffins or baked beans.
"Molasses has an earthy, unrefined flavor that I associate with home cooking," says Stephan Pyles, author of "The New Texas Cuisine" (Doubleday, $35). He slips dark molasses into his garlic marinade for pork or quail. "It has a strong flavor that stands up to the meat," he says, "and it caramelizes on the grill."
Molasses isn't nearly as mysterious as it looks. It's simply boiled sugar cane juice. The initial boiling produces a light molasses, which is the sweetest and mildest variety. It can double as a condiment or a baking and cooking sweetener.
A second boiling of the cane yields dark molasses, which carries a more robust flavor and a lower sugar content. Dark molasses is most often used for cooking and baking.
Few recipes call for black-strap molasses, a product of the third boiling of the sugar cane. The thick, black syrup has a strong, somewhat bitter taste and a low sugar content.
Although all molasses contains iron, potassium and calcium, black-strap molasses is the only variety with a significant concentration of the nutrients. It's sold in health and natural foods stores.
Many cooks puzzle over which molasses to use, dark or light. It comes down to personal preferences for sweetness and flavoring. As for sulfured vs. unsulfured molasses, purchase the unsulfured; no sulfites have been added. Concern over sulfites may be a non-issue with molasses; these days, it's difficult to find molasses that doesn't boast "unsulfured' on the label.
Once the sweetener of choice through the United States, molasses still is used liberally in many parts of the South. Those weaned on the Southern staple can't imagine some of their favorite dishes without it.
Although light and dark commercially prepared molasses are widely available, many connoisseurs insist that the best flavor comes from the country-made cane syrups. These are loosely called molasses by some farm producers.
"You can taste the difference," says Thomas Grimes, a fourth-generation East Texas cane-syrup producer.
Cane syrup -- a close relative of light molasses -- is made from the boiled concentrated sap, as opposed to the juice, of sugar cane. Its flavor is slightly milder and sweeter than that of molasses, but the difference is subtle. Like light molasses, cane syrup is often spread on biscuits or drizzled over pancakes. Purists claim its flavor is assertive enough to substitute for molasses in baked goods.
Sorghum molasses, on the other hand, scores closest to genuine molasses on the assertiveness scale, although it is somewhat sweeter. The dark brown syrup is produced from sorghum cane, and made on small farms throughout the South.
"People use sorghum molasses for cooking and baking," says Mr. Grimes. "It's a real strong taste." He notes that the strength of the country-made sorghum molasses can vary somewhat between producers and even states.
How to use molasses
The Molasses Information Network suggests using molasses the following ways:
* Add it to hot cereal.
* For easy baked beans, add 2 tablespoons molasses, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon prepared mustard and 1/2 cup chopped onions to 2 cans pork and beans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
* Stir it into butter and spread on biscuits or muffins.
* Blend 1 tablespoon molasses with the grated peel of 1 orange and 8 ounces of cream cheese. Spread on sweet breads such as pumpkin, date or zucchini.
* Marinate boneless skinless chicken breast fillets in a mixture of 2 tablespoons molasses and 1/2 cup cider vinegar for several hours before grilling.
* Add 1 teaspoon molasses to each cup of sliced cooked root vegetables or purees. Try carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash or acorn squash.
* Substitute it for sugar in coffee.
* To receive a free booklet of molasses recipes, write to the Molasses Information Network, P.O. Box 800, Dept. Minn., Riverton, N.J. 08077.
Grandma Maude's Gingerbread
Makes 9 servings
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon powdered cloves (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 whole egg, unbeaten
1 cup molasses
1 cup hot water confectioners' sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9-by-9-by-2-inch pan, then line with wax paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, optional cloves, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Cream together thoroughly the butter or shortening and sugar. Add the egg; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses. Add flour mixture alternately with hot water until mixture is just smooth; the batter will be very thin.
Turn batter into pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Remove from pan, peel off paper and cool on rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
Note: Create patterns with confectioners' sugar by covering gingerbread with a doily or strips of wax paper before sprinkling.
Per serving: calories: 353; fat: 12 g; cholesterol: 53 mg; sodium: 435 mg; percent calories from fat: 29. (Source: Marie Tilden)
Best of Bran Muffins
Makes 2 dozen
3 cups shredded bran cereal (such as All Bran or 100 percent Bran)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup raisins
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup molasses
2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, combine cereal, oil and raisins; pour boiling water over mixture. Set aside to cool slightly. In a small bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk and molasses. Add to the partly cooled cereal mixture.
In another small bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to cereal mixture, stirring just to moisten dry ingredients. Cover batter; let stand at least 15 minutes, preferably 1 hour.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 24 muffin cups and divide batter among them, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Remove muffins from oven and cool slightly in pan. Remove muffins from pan and cool completely on a rack.
Per serving: calories: 150; fat: 6 g; cholesterol: 18 mg; sodium: 256 mg; percent calories from fat: 35. (Source: "Jane Brody's Good Food Book")
Molasses-Pecan Crusted Chicken Breasts
Makes 4 servings
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup Dijon-style mustard
salt and pepper
1 cup finely ground pecans
2 tablespoons olive oil
Place each breast half between pieces of wax paper and pound until thin. Mix molasses and mustard.
Salt and pepper breasts, then coat in molasses-mustard mixture. Roll each in ground pecans. Chill to set for at least 1 hour.
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until springy to the touch, about 5 to 6 minutes on each side.
Per serving: calories: 514; fat: 31 g; cholesterol: 72 mg; sodium: 725 mg; percent calories from fat: 52.
Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes 3 to 4 dozen
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped nuts
In a large bowl, beat margarine and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and molasses; beat well. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, oats, raisins and nuts; mix well. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets immediately.
Per serving: calories: 97; fat: 5 g; cholesterol: 16 mg; sodium: 93 mg; percent calories from fat: 42.
Molasses-Garlic Marinade
Makes about 1 1/4 cups
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dark beer
2 tablespoons molasses
grated peel of 1 lemon, blanched
grated peel of 1 orange, blanched
1 tablespoon chopped lemon thyme
4 tablespoons peeled and diced
fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients. Use to marinate poultry or pork before grilling or roasting. (Adapted from "The New Texas Cuisine")
THE MOLASSES FAMILY
Here are the kinds of molasses and their close kin and what distinguishes one from another:
* Light Molasses: The syrup produced by the initial boiling of sugar cane juice. The sweetest, mildest molasses.
* Dark Molasses: The syrup produced by the second boiling. It has a stronger flavor and lower sugar content.
* Black-Strap Molasses: The thick, black syrup produced by the third boiling. Somewhat bitter with a low sugar content, but the only molasses syrup with a significant concentration of iron, potassium and calcium.
* Cane Syrup: A close relative of light molasses made from the boiled, concentrated sap of sugar cane.
* Sorghum: Closer in appearance and taste to dark molasses, although somewhat sweeter; it is produced from sorghum cane.