Themigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep-frying chicken pieces in lard and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The immigrants from Scotland would often labor, live and dine with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some additional seasonings to the procedure andbuildingtheir own versionof fried chicken. These Africans later became thecaterersin many a Southern American home where crispy deep-fried chicken became a universal staple. They also learned that it lasted well well inhotclimatic conditions before refrigeration was commonplace so was enjoyed on almost a daily basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to work. Since then it has become the southern state's top choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a male called James Boswell who wrote arecordin 1773 known as “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at mealtime the locals would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he really heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of crispy fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known recipe for deep-fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most famed culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her food had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original formula...
Joint two chickens into pieces; lay them in vinegar for 3-4 hours with pepper, salt, bay and a few cloves. Make a very thick batter first with ½ pint of wine and flour then 2 eeg yolksa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a first-rate deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and serve them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a excellent gravy. Today, we have changed the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which features nearly zero trans fats and we use a brine of buttermilk and salt to season our chicken throughout. It’s amazing to think how far this mix has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
