TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of Usa had a custom of deep frying poultry in fat and even prior to this 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 additional flavorings to the formula anddevelopingtheir own presentationof deep-fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thecaterersin many a Southern American home where fried chicken became a ordinary staple. They also observed that it lasted well well inwarmclimatic conditions in the times before refrigeration was everyday so was eaten on almost a daily basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to labor. Since then 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 ajournalin 1773 named “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at meals the locals would eat fricassee of pullet which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actuality 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 crispy fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known procedure for fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most famous cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her recipe had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first in print in 1747. The book was a hit in the United kingdom and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original recipe...
Joint two chickens into quarters; marinate 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 eggsa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a good quality deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of light golden incolour and serve them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a high-quality gravy. Presently, 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 food has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
