History of deep frying

The history of frying has its roots in ancient civilizations. Egyptians were considered the first to use deep frying for their desserts. Deep frying is believed to have first appeared in the Ancient Egyptian kitchen, during the Old Kingdom, around 2500 BC. Fried cakes were one of the first foods to be deep fried. Frying pans were invented in ancient Mesopotamia, which eventually gave rise to these greasy treats.

In Roman Empire, most ordinary Romans would either boil their food or fry it in olive oil. Most of the meals in the Roman military were cooked in olive oil and vinegar. Olive oil became even more common in Roman kitchens when Roman emperors began to actively support olive tree plantations and olive oil production.

Apicius, compiled in the fifth century AD also known as De re culinaria or De re coquinaria (On the Subject of Cooking), talks about frying dishes in cooked honey. One famous and very simple recipe of deep-fried food written in Apicius was apparently very popular: sweet fried bread.

Frying began to take hold at first in the Middle Ages and then during the Renaissance, with the introduction of animal fats, a prerogative of upper classes.

During the 16th century, tempura is first introduced in Japan. French fries, invented in the late 18th century, became popular in France and Belgium in 1830s. In 1860 Joseph Malin combined deep fried fish with chips (french fries) to open the first fish and chip shop in London.

In the late 1800s, cast iron cookware became widely available, and people were able to prepare fried foods in their homes.
History of deep frying