That old black magic

The 360-degree revolution in the image of molasses over the years sheds light on the complex relationship between its real value and that attributed to it by consumers and by the spirit of the times.

	Photo by: Amos Biederman

The more that sugar is refined, the whiter and less sticky it becomes. Molasses is a viscous, dark brown, liquid that is created during the refining process, after the sugar crystallizes.

For centuries molasses was considered a by-product of the manufacturing process and treated accordingly. It was used mainly in the production of alcohol and yeast, and was widely believed to cause diarrhea when consumed in large quantities.

But after years of effort spent in attempts to obtain sugar crystals that were as dry and white as snow, consumers, mostly as a result of growing health and environmental awareness, began stubbornly searching for natural and unprocessed sweeteners.

So, in a kind of pendulum swing, people became willing to pay much more for molasses, whose color and consistency attested to its source, than for white sugar, the refinement of which consumes many more resources.

At the same time, rather than being blamed for causing diarrhea, molasses was now heralded as being beneficial to digestion, by accelerating the digestive process. Contributing to the image makeover was the dissemination of the fact that unlike white sugar it contains trace minerals, particularly potassium, calcium and iron, as well as certain B-complex vitamins.

The same spirit of the times led to brown sugar, which also was once considered dirty and inferior, being deemed trendy, even prestigious, a product for those in the know.

As for molasses, until recently a small, 250 gram jar of blackstrap molasses, the darkest and least refined type, rawest form, cost around NIS 40 shekels. For the sake of comparison, one kilogram of white sugar costs around five shekels.

How is it that a much more highly refined, labor-intensive product cost so much less than the natural equivalent. The answer is simple: supply and demand. Most sugar refineries focus on producing white sugar, with a smaller number producing brown sugar as well, while there are very few that produce molasses.

The new black

But that's only half the story. The rest is a patchwork of multiple reasons. We've already mentioned the role of health and environmental awareness. But there is also the growing trendiness of black foods in haute cuisine. Molasses, together with truffles, caviar, black octopus and black clams, now exemplify the notion that black is not just gourmet but also exclusive. What was once considered dirty now imbues every dish or drink with a gloomy aura.

One way or another, since the middle of the decade molasses has become the darling of the health scene, appearing in a variety of finely designed packages of every possible type and in every possible context. It is seen as the right thing, any time and anywhere, signaling among other things, the movement of health awareness from the fringes into the mainstream.

And it appears, at least from the names, that there are several kinds of molasses: dark, black, brown, muddy, even blue. So complete is the revolution that recently molasses prices began to drop. Here again, it's a matter of supply and demand. The price drop applies also to the tar-black organic blackstrap variety whose taste recalls the smell of kerosene mixed with something smoked and that is considered the purest extract.

The jury is still out over whether molasses is more healthful than other sweeteners. The nays say its only advantage is good marketing and that any sugar substitute or alternative misses the point. They say the problem is the huge quantity of sugar that we consume, not the form. The pro-molasses camp maintain that like other relatively natural sweeteners it reduces cravings for white sugar and can facilitate the quitting process. And the hefty price premium? That's a benefit, because it encourages critical, thrifty thought.

Ginger-molasses cookies

The first time I ate molasses in its new, trendy form was at the home of friends who consider themselves to be addicted: to sports, to baking and to health. A rare combination indeed, and apparently what prompts them to try out every ingredient that is deemed trendy or healthy or both. Their recipe for ginger cookies is festive, and while perhaps not the healthiest possible it can certainly be considered a "lesser evil."

Ingredients:

3/4 cup coconut oil

1 cup agave nectar

1/4 cup molasses

2 organic eggs

3 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour (they say white flour greatly improves the taste and texture, while substituting flaked oats makes for particularly crisp cookies )

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. Atlantic sea salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground clove

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 Tbsp. ginger, either ground or fresh-grated

Preparation: Mix together the first three ingredients. Add the eggs and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients, starting with the flour and the baking soda. With moistened hands, shape the dough into balls and place on baking paper on a baking tray. Bake for six to 10 minutes in a hot oven. Remove as soon as the cookies turn golden brown. Allow to cool on the trays. Store in closed glass jars. What's special about these cookies is that they are much darker, denser and stickier than other ginger cookies.