TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a tradition of deep frying chicken in fat and even prior to this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages.
The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some extra seasonings to the dish anddevelopingtheir own interpretationof Southern Fried Chicken.
These Africans later became thefood preparersin many a Southern American household where fried chicken became a frequent staple.
This is said to have come from a gentleman known as James Boswell who wrote arecordin 1773 called “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”.
In his record he noted that at meals the local people would eat fricassee of poultry which he went on to say “deep-fried chicken or something like that”.
What he really heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.They also learned that it travelled well inhotweather in the times before refrigeration was prevalent so was enjoyed on almost a daily basis as they walked to the cotton fields to work.
Since, it has become the region’s best optionfor just about any occasion.
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 renowned cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy.
Her formula had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first in print in 1747. The book was a hit in the UK and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original food...
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 2 eeg yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourchicken piecesin 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 golden incolour and lay them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a first-rate gravy. Nowadays, we have changed 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 procedure has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
