BREADCRUMBS, WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW.

I was watching Alton Brown make a recipe for Mac and Cheese on the Food Network when he mentioned a particular type of breadcrumbs. I made his recipe using regular bread crumbs and was really disappointed. The breadcrumb topping was awful; too dense with no real taste. So, of course, I went shopping to find the Panko Bread Crumbs he used. I knew nothing about them but I soon found out. I bought two different brands to try. Here is the scoop.

Panko is the Japanese word meaning "bread crumbs or child or bread". They are made from the soft, tender centers of bread instead of the crust. They supposedly form a lighter texture and are less dense. They are now popular with chefs everywhere. I am withholding my opinion until I try them.

I plan to make my next batch of Sicilian meatballs with them. I will report the results. It must be a cross between using fresh broken up pieces of bread and regular bread crumbs.