TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a tradition of deep frying chicken in fat and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scottish immigrants would often labor, live and dine with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some supplementary seasoning to the process andproducingtheir own interpretationof deep-fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thecooksin many a Southern American family where deep-fried chicken became a frequent staple. They also learned that it journeyed well inwarmweather in the times before refrigeration was everyday so was eaten on almost every day basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to labor. Since, it has become the south's best choicefor just about any occasion.

This is said to have come from a guy called James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 named “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his journal he noted that at dinner the local folks would eat fricassee of poultry which he went on to say “fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actual fact heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.

The very true origins of deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known food for deep-fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most famed 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 known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a success in the United kingdom and more importantly in the American Colonies.

Here is the original formula...

Cut two chickens into pieces; 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 very well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and place them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a superior gravy.
In the present day, 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 mix has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.

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