There is a real advantage to making bread crumbs instead of using pre-packaged ones, with their unpleasant preserved taste. Full tasting bread, like a sourdough or herbed bread makes for delicious crumbs. When made from fresh bread the crumbs absorb less fat or liquid than a dry crumb, making them ideal for topping off gratins, or breading meat and fish when frying. Dry crumbs are better suited for stuffings since they absorb moisture just like a sponge. Most breads can be turned into bread crumbs by simply grinding them in a food processor. Trimming crusts makes for a more delicate crumb and for very fine crumbs, strain them through a fine-mesh sieve. Store bread crumbs in a tightly sealed plastic bag in the freezer.

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