TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Usa had a custom of deep frying chicken pieces in fat and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages.
The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and dine with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some more seasonings to the mix andproducingtheir own interpretationof crispy fried chicken.
These Africans later went on to become thechefsin many a Southern American household where fried chicken became a common staple.
This is said to have come from a gentleman known as James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 named “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”.
In his diary he noted that at an evening meal the locals would eat fricassee of pullet which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”.
What he in actuality heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.They also found out that it travelled well inwarmconditions prior to refrigeration was seen everyday so was eaten on almost a daily basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to work.
Since, it has become the southern state's most suitable choicefor just about any occasion.
The very true origins of crispy fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known recipe for deep-fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most recognized cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy.
Her mix had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original formula...
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 well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a first-rate deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and set them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a good 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 procedure has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
