What are Panco breadcrumbs?

 Are they breadcrumbs from the Pan Corporation of America? No, they are not. Remember, spelling often counts on the Internet.

Panko crumbs – with a "k," not a "c" – are very crunchy bread crumbs from Japan. They are made from Japanese wheat bread, which is slowly dried and then shredded into crispy flakes. Because they are crispy to start with, they stay crisp longer, but if you are too casual in your treatment of them, they can turn out as soggy as any other bread crumbs. Their natural state is unflavored, but they are available in wacky flavors, too, including southwest, garlic, mustard, honey, and "Italian style" (which makes us weep).

Panko crumbs can certainly be found in Asian markets, often in natural foods stores, and, more and more, in run-of-the-mill grocery stores. They are certainly available online.

(Not all panko crumbs are made in Japan these days. There are lots of panko-style crumbs (refer again to weeping comment above).)

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