Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep frying chicken pieces in fat and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often work, live and eat with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some additional spices to the formula andcreatingtheir own interpretationof deep-fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thecooksin many a Southern American household where crispy deep-fried chicken became a prevalent staple. They also found out that it journeyed well inwarmclimatic conditions before refrigeration was commonplace so was enjoyed on almost a daily basis as they went to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the southern state's most suitable choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a fellow known as James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 known as “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at an evening meal the locals would eat fricassee of fowl which he went on to say “deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he actually heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of crispy deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known mix for crispy fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most famous cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her formula had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first available in 1747. The book was a hit in the United kingdom and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original dish...
Cut 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 the yolks of two eggsa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a excellent deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and serve them on your dish with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a good quality gravy. Presently, we have replaced 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 recipe has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
