Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of Us had a custom of deep frying chicken pieces in lard and even before this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scottish immigrants would often work, live and eat with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some new seasoning to the dish andgeneratingtheir own interpretationof deep-fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thecooksin many a Southern American family where fried chicken became a universal staple. They also discovered that it journeyed well inwarmtemperatures prior to refrigeration was common so was consumed on almost a daily basis as they went to the cotton fields to labor. Since, it has become the south's top choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a male named James Boswell who wrote arecordin 1773 named “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his log he noted that at meals the local folks would eat fricassee of rooster 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 crispy 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 procedure for deep-fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most celebrated culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her formula had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a success in the England and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original food...
Joint two chickens into quarters; 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 2 eeg yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a good quality deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and arrange them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a fine gravy. In the present day, we have swapped out the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which has 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 dish has journeyed worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
