TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of Usa had a tradition 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 work, live and dine with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some other flavorings to the food andproducingtheir own interpretationof crispy deep-fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thechefsin many a Southern American home where crispy fried chicken became a universal staple. They also discovered that it journeyed well inwarmconditions before refrigeration was common so was enjoyed on almost a daily basis as they walked to the cotton fields to work. Since then it has become the southern state's best optionfor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a chap known as James Boswell who wrote ajournalin 1773 known as “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at an evening meal the local folks would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actual fact 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 crispy deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known process for crispy fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most recognized culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as 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 hit in the England and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original formula...
Joint 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 2 eeg yolksa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a excellent 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 plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a high-quality gravy. Now, we have swapped out 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 walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
