TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep frying poultry in lard and even further back they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often work, live and eat with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some extra seasonings to the formula andbuildingtheir own presentationof fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thefood preparersin many a Southern American house where crispy fried chicken became a ordinary staple.
They also found out that it travelled well inwarmweather conditions in the times before refrigeration was seen everyday so was enjoyed on almost every day basis as they went to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the south's preferred choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a fellow known as James Boswell who wrote ajournalin 1773 known as “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at dinner the locals would eat fricassee of rooster which he went on to say “deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in reality 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 deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known dish for crispy fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most recognized cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her recipe had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original procedure...
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 2 eeg yolksa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a high-quality deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and lay them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a high-quality gravy. Today, we have changed 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 travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
