Posted by Marc BailesParchment is a thick, versatile paper that no home cook should be without. It’s great for lining baking pans because it absorbs grease. Cooking meat, fish, or vegetables in parchment allows them to retain their moisture, while preserving the delicious flavor. Parchment also makes a great pastry tip for decorating cakes and cookies. Or just use it to protect your cooking surface.
Regardless of how you use it, think of Turkey. Not the food, but the country--specifically, the town of Bergama, in the western part of the country. That’s where parchment was first manufactured, in the second century, and it’s also where parchment gets its name. The words may sound more alike when you think of Pergamon, the town’s name in ancient times. The city was a center of the Greek world under the Attalids, who built their capital there after succeeding Alexander the Great, about 2,300 years ago. The Attalids envisioned a new Alexandria, and in many ways they succeeded: buildings with large courtyards, a rich culture, and an impressive library. The famed altar of Zeus was there, and part of it is on display at the Pergamum Museum, in Berlin. Under the Romans, Pergamum became more known for manufacturing. Though in those days parchment was made from animal skin and was used for writing, not cooking.
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