TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a tradition of deep frying chicken in fat and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scottish immigrants would often labor, live and eat with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some other seasonings to the process andgeneratingtheir own interpretationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thefood preparersin many a Southern American home where fried chicken became a typical staple. They also discovered that it lasted well well inhotclimate in the times before refrigeration was everyday so was enjoyed on almost every day basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the south's best optionfor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a chap known as James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 named “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his journal he noted that at an evening meal the locals would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in fact heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known formula for crispy deep-fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most prominent cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her process had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a success in the England and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original food...
Cut two chickens into pieces; steep 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 the yolks of two eggsa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and serve them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a high-quality gravy. Presently, we have substituted 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 process has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
