TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Usa had a tradition of deep-frying chicken pieces in lard and even before this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often work, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some other flavorings to the formula andmakingtheir own presentationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thefood preparersin many a Southern American household where fried chicken became a common staple. They also found that it lasted well well inwarmclimate in the times before refrigeration was everyday so was enjoyed on almost an every day basis as they walked to the cotton fields to work. Since then it has become the southern state's most suitable choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a man known as James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 named “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at dinner the local folks would eat fricassee of capon 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 fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known dish for fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most notable cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her dish 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 Usa Colonies.
Here is the original process...
Cut two chickens into pieces; steep 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 yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourfowlsin 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 light golden incolour and place them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a superior 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 travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
