Themigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep-frying chicken in lard and even further back they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often work, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some other flavorings to the dish andmakingtheir own versionof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thefood preparersin many a Southern American family where crispy deep-fried chicken became a typical staple.
They also learned that it travelled well inhotconditions in the times before refrigeration was everyday so was eaten on almost every day basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to labor. Since, it has become the southern state's most suitable choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a man called James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 called “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at dinner the local people would eat fricassee of rooster which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”. What he in 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 procedure for fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most renowned cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her process had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a success in the England and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original food...
Joint two chickens into pieces; 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 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 lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and set them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a excellent gravy. Nowadays, we have replaced 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 food has journeyed worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
