Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of Usa had a tradition of deep-frying chicken in fat and even prior to this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The immigrants from Scotland would often work, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some extra spices to the mix anddevelopingtheir own versionof fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thechefsin many a Southern American house where deep-fried chicken became a universal staple. They also discovered that it lasted well well inwarmclimate before refrigeration was common so was eaten on almost an every day basis as they went to the cotton fields to work. Since then it has become the south's best choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a man called James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 called “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at dinner the local folks would eat fricassee of capon which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he really heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy 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 recipe for crispy fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most prominent culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her mix had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first available in 1747. The book was a success in the United kingdom and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original dish...
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 very well, dip yourfowlsin 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 a fine browncolour and place them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a good gravy. Nowadays, 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 food has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
