The Iowa Housewife: In the Kitchen...Parchment Paper

Parchment paper is grease- and moisture-resistant paper specially treated for oven use. It is very versatile -- use it to line cake molds and baking sheets, to wrap fish and other dishes that are cooked in paper.

Parchment paper can be purchased in rolls, sheets, or precut rounds to fit cake pans; look for it at gourmet kitchenware stores or many supermarkets.

Another good option for lining baking sheets is a Silpat baking mat. Made of flexible, heat-resistant silicon, they are much more expensive than either parchment paper or wax paper, but last for years. I find that they are hard to clean and seem to have a sticky feel to them after use and Sue and I have both quit using them. My daughter however does use Silpat and likes it.

Parchment paper is treated with silicone, so it is nonstick; it is also heatproof and grease-resistant. It's available bleached (white) or unbleached (brown).

It protects pans, aids cleanup, and prevents food from sticking. It also makes a handy funnel for transferring dry ingredients. You can bake fish or chicken in it for a low-fat cooking method. Small squares are excellent for putting between items when freezing them such as ground beef patties.

Rolls of parchment paper are available in the baking section of most supermarkets. Precut sheets and rounds can be found in baking-supply stores and online.

Parchment paper is so much more versatile than Silpat and can be used for many things making it a good choice in your kitchen.

Both Sue and I buy and use parchment paper from King Arthur Flour. I like the quality of their paper and find that it releases very well, Sue buys the half-sheet size sheets and cuts some in half for 9 x 13" pans. Around Christmas, Costco has big rolls of parchment paper that are good quality. After buying some from the supermarket when I ran out I now make sure I have it on hand.

Some recipes where parchment paper is great: