SAN DIEGO - Despite being labeled enemy number one by millions of protein-munching carb counters, many Americans still relish the taste of freshly baked bread. But these days, not just any bread will do. Today's sophisticated consumers are looking beyond the traditional loaf of sliced white to artisan and European-style breads, which are popping up on menus from fine dining to fast food.

One such artisan bread gaining in popularity is ciabatta, a soft, porous bread with a crispy crust that originated in Italy. The bread takes its name from the Italian word for "slipper" because of its common oblong shape. While ciabatta has been a staple at table-service restaurants for years, it has recently begun appearing on menuboards at fast-casual and quick-serve restaurants.

Earlier this year, Jack in the Box® restaurants introduced a line of gourmet, deli-meat sandwiches on foot-long toasted ciabatta baguettes. Dubbed Pannidos™ by the chain, the sandwiches have become a huge hit with the burgers-and-fries crowd.

"The response to our Pannido line of sandwiches has been incredible," said Tammy Bailey, division vice president of menu marketing and promotions at Jack in the Box Inc. "And much of the product's success is due to the authenticity of the ciabatta bread we use."

Jack in the Box relies on two bakeries, one in New York and one in Northern California, to bake its unique ciabatta baguettes. Both bakeries specialize in artisan breads, which is a style of bread that has been hand-made the same way for centuries. Since Jack in the Box doesn't have master bakers in each of its restaurants, mass-producing a great-tasting, authentic, artisan-style bread was a challenge.

"For the Pannido baguette, we had to develop a way to take a product that is very unpredictable and make it consistent," said David Drake, director of bakery operations for Wenner Bread Products in Long Island, NY. "And we had to do this all while duplicating the taste and texture of hand-made ciabatta bread."

To ensure that the bread is as authentic as possible, the bakeries bake the ciabatta baguette free-form, not in a mold like most breads. They also make sure that the ciabatta dough is handled with kid-gloves - too much kneading could toughen the bread's light and fluffy interior, which is crucial to creating a great Pannido.

"The ciabatta's porous texture soaks up the sauces, while the crisp crust keeps the Pannido from becoming soggy," said Bailey. "It's really an ideal bread for sandwiches."

With the success of products like the Pannidos at Jack in the Box, Drake said consumers should expect to see more European-style artisan breads in their local supermarkets and on restaurant menus.

"Americans are looking for something new, they want a change," he said. "They want bread that's high-quality, flavorful and rustic. Artisan breads offer that."