Themigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of Us had a tradition of deep frying poultry in lard and even prior to this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often labor, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some extra seasonings to the formula andcreatingtheir own interpretationof deep-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 travelled well inhotconditions in the times before refrigeration was commonplace so was enjoyed on almost an every day basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to labor. Since, it has become the south's best optionfor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a gentleman named James Boswell who wrote arecordin 1773 known as “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his journal he noted that at meals the local people would eat fricassee of hen which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”. What he really 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 crispy deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known mix for deep-fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most prominent cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her food had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first in print in 1747. The book was a success in the England and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original food...
Joint 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 eggssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a excellent deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of golden incolour and place them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a excellent gravy. Today, 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 process has journeyed worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
