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 immigrants from Scotland would often labor, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some more flavorings to the mix anddevelopingtheir own presentationof deep-fried chicken.
These Africans later went on to become thechefsin many a Southern American home where crispy fried chicken became a regular staple.
This is said to have come from a male known as James Boswell who wrote arecordin 1773 known as “record of a Tour to the Hebrides”.
In his log he noted that at meals the locals 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 crispy fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.They also observed that it travelled well inwarmclimatic conditions in the times before refrigeration was prevalent so was eaten on almost every day basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to work.
Since then it has become the southern state's best optionfor just about any occasion.
The very true origins of crispy deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known recipe for deep-fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most famed cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy.
Her mix had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first in print 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 quarters; 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 the yolks of two eggsa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a superior deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and arrange them on your dish with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a good gravy. Nowadays, we have replaced 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 dish has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
