TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Usa had a tradition of deep frying chicken pieces in fat and even before this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often work, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some more seasonings to the dish andbuildingtheir own interpretationof crispy deep-fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thechefsin many a Southern American household where deep-fried chicken became a frequent staple. They also found out that it lasted well well inhotconditions prior to refrigeration was everyday so was eaten on almost an every day basis as they went to the cotton fields to labor. Since, it has become the south's most suitable choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a guy called James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 known as “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at dinner the local people would eat fricassee of fowl which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”. What he really heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of crispy fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known mix for deep-fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most famous culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her procedure had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original formula...
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 2 eeg yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and place them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a good quality gravy. Now, we have replaced 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 process has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
