Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of America had a tradition 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 work, live and dine with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some other seasoning to the procedure andcreatingtheir own presentationof fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thecooksin many a Southern American home where fried chicken became a frequent staple. They also learned that it travelled well inwarmclimatic conditions before refrigeration was commonplace so was eaten on almost a daily basis as they walked to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the south's go-tofor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a male called James Boswell who wrote arecordin 1773 named “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his journal he noted that at dinner the locals would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “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 deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known process for crispy fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most notable culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her food had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a success in the United kingdom and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original procedure...
Joint two chickens into pieces; 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 well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a good deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and place them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a fine gravy. Nowadays, we have changed 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 food has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
