TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a custom of deep frying poultry in fat and even before this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often labor, live and dine with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some extra seasonings to the process anddevelopingtheir own interpretationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later became thecooksin many a Southern American family where crispy fried chicken became a prevalent staple. They also observed that it travelled well inhotweather conditions in the times before refrigeration was commonplace so was consumed on almost a daily basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to work. Since then it has become the region’s preferred choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a male known as James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 known as “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at dinner the local folks would eat fricassee of rooster which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”. What he in reality 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 deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known dish for fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most prominent cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her mix had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first available in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original mix...
Cut two chickens into pieces; lay 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 thoroughly, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of golden incolour and serve them on your dish with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a first-class gravy. Presently, we have exchanged 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 mix has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
