Irene Coburn, age 10, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, for her question:

WHAT IS PUMPERNICKEL?

Pumpernickel is a type of heavy, dark bread. In most cases it is made from whole, coarse, slightly sour unbolted rye. Unbolted means that the grain used to make the bread is not sifted.

One variety of pumpernickel bread is made with wheat flour added to the rye.

Pumpernickel is eaten in all parts of the world and is especially popular in Germany and Russia as well as in Canada and the United States. Except for the dark flour, pumpernickel bread is made much the same as other kinds of bread.

The word pumpernickel is German in origin. Some say that it originally meant ''bumpkin.'' Perhaps it came from the expression "lumbering Nicholas."