A recipe for Hot Buttered Rum also gives the history of the drink and the major part of it played in the political game as far back as George Washington’s time in the history of America. Rum was made for the most part of molasses in turn made from sugar cane. This drink, to quote from the American Heritage Cookbook, found its way into domestic politics, used by politicians to influence voters. The honored tradition of feasting voters on food and drink originated quite early in American history. When George Washington was in a race for the legislature in 1758 (though a Virginia Statewide expressly forbade the treating of voters and declared all elections won by such means as illegal). "Washington’s agents supplied the Frederick County voters with 160 gallons of rum, beer, wine, and ciders. This added up to about 1 ½ quarts per vote."