Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep frying chicken in lard and even further back they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often labor, live and eat with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some supplementary seasoning to the food anddevelopingtheir own interpretationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thecooksin many a Southern American household where deep-fried chicken became a typical staple.
They also observed that it journeyed well inhotclimatic conditions in the times before refrigeration was prevalent so was eaten on almost every day basis as they walked to the cotton fields to labor. Since, it has become the region’s best optionfor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a guy called James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 named “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his log he noted that at an evening meal the local people would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “fried chicken or something like that”. What he actually 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 fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known mix for fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most recognized cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her mix had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original procedure...
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 eggssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a first-class deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of golden incolour and arrange them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a first-class gravy. Nowadays, we have substituted 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 dish has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
