A thick, dark syrup that's a byproduct of sugar refining, with a robust, slightly bitter flavor and mineral-rich profile. It ranges from light and sweet to dark and intensely flavored, commonly used in baking and Southern American cuisine.
From Portuguese 'melaço,' from Latin 'mel' meaning honey. Molasses production became significant during the colonial period as part of the triangular trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, where it was often more valuable than the refined sugar itself.
Molasses was so economically important in colonial America that the Molasses Act of 1733 helped spark the American Revolution! Unlike refined sugar, molasses retains many minerals from the original sugar cane, including iron, calcium, and potassium - blackstrap molasses (the final extraction) is so mineral-dense it's sometimes used as a nutritional supplement.
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