TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a custom of deep-frying chicken in lard and even further back they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often work, live and dine with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some extra seasoning to the procedure andcreatingtheir own versionof deep-fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thecooksin many a Southern American household where crispy deep-fried chicken became a regular staple.
They also learned that it transported well inhottemperatures in the times before refrigeration was everyday so was consumed on almost every day basis as they went to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the region’s top choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a man known as James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 known as “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his journal he noted that at mealtime the local people would eat fricassee of poultry 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 fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known formula for deep-fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most famed culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her formula had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original mix...
Cut two chickens into quarters; 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 eggsa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a good deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of golden incolour and serve them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a good gravy. Presently, we have exchanged the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which contains 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 walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
