Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of Usa had a custom of deep frying poultry in lard and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some supplementary seasonings to the process andproducingtheir own presentationof fried chicken. These Africans later became thefood preparersin many a Southern American house where crispy deep-fried chicken became a regular staple.
They also discovered that it transported well inwarmweather conditions prior to refrigeration was prevalent so was eaten on almost a daily basis as they walked to the cotton fields to labor. Since then it has become the south's best choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a guy called James Boswell who wrote ajournalin 1773 named “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at an evening meal the local people would eat fricassee of rooster which he went on to say “crispy 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 fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known dish for crispy deep-fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most eminent culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her mix had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original recipe...
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 yolksa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a superior deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of golden incolour and arrange them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a excellent gravy. Today, we have substituted 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 recipe has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
