Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of Us had a custom of deep-frying poultry 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 extra flavorings to the food andbuildingtheir own interpretationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thechefsin many a Southern American household where crispy deep-fried chicken became a typical staple. They also discovered that it transported well inhotweather conditions before refrigeration was prevalent so was consumed on almost a daily basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to work. Since then it has become the southern state's preferred choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a fellow named James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 named “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at mealtime the local people would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “fried chicken or something like that”. What he really heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known procedure for deep-fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most famed cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her food had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the Usa 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 very well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a first-class deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of light golden incolour and place them on your dish with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a good quality gravy. Nowadays, we have changed the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which contains 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 formula has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
