TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of America had a tradition of deep frying chicken pieces in fat and even prior to this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scottish immigrants would often work, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some other spices to the mix andmakingtheir own versionof fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thefood preparersin many a Southern American house where deep-fried chicken became a prevalent staple. They also learned that it transported well inhottemperatures before refrigeration was commonplace so was enjoyed on almost an every day basis as they went to the cotton fields to labor. Since, it has become the region’s best optionfor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a chap named James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 named “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at an evening meal the locals would eat fricassee of fowl which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actual fact 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 fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known food for crispy deep-fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most recognized cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her procedure had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a hit in the UK and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original procedure...
Cut 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 yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a good deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of golden incolour and set them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a excellent gravy. Today, we have exchanged 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 food has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
