Martha Wrap - foil and parchment in one

[jsmeeker]

I was in the grocery store a little while ago picking up some potato chips. I wandered down the aisle where they stock the plastic wrap, aluminum foil, Gladware containers, etc. and happened to spy this.

It's foil and parchment in one. Looks like one side is parchment, the other foil. Interesting. Anyone ever use this before? Is it a unique product that Martha Stewart invented, or is it something that isn't new but not commonly available to consumers?

[LindaK]

This looks bizarre. I've never used foil and parchment together and don't recall ever seeing recipe instructions that called for them to be used side-by-side. But I'd love to know if I'm missing out on a great trick.

Jeff, what was the price? I wonder how it compares to buying the two products separately.

[David A. Goldfarb]

If I ever have occasion to wrap Martha, I'll be sure to have a roll on hand.

[abadoozy]

My first thought is that it would be great for wrapping cheese. Sorta like those ultra-pricey cheese wrappers I see in some shops, only hopefully more affordable. Cook's Illustrated had an article a while back about storing cheese, and they recommended wax or parchment first, then cover in foil. Here we go, all in one.

[gfweb]

If I ever have occasion to wrap Martha, I'll be sure to have a roll on hand.

I think she'd be best done SV.

She's a pretty tough bird.

[MSRadell]

Straight from the horse's mouth, here's what Martha Stewart says about it: Martha Wrap

It's got several ideas what to use it for and it looks like they're still trying to find other uses, looks like they invented its first and now are finding new uses.

[maggiethecat]

I want some. It takes care of all my baking needs. I especially like it foil side up for fish en papillote.

Edit: Never diss Martha. She still knows everything.

[Genkinaonna]

I would think it would solve the problem of parchment wrappers staying closed, without having the foil in direct contact with whatever you're wrapping. Foil tends to stay closed on it's own, while parchment slithers open leaving your delicious baked goods open to predation by roving children or significant others...

And generally I find Martha's products (and recipes) to be pretty nice, even though she's not...

[Special K]

It's been a while since I've watched Martha, but I know I've heard her say "never, never ever let foil wrap touch food." She never said why, but I'm guessing this is because the acids in some foods may react with the aluminum -- or maybe she just knew this product was in the pipeline .

[NancyH]

I know what I'd use it for: covering brisket during its long braise in the roasting pan. If the regular foil gets even a bit of tomato on it, it discolors or sprouts holes - I'm betting the parchment side takes care of that!

[LizD518]

I've seen chef use parchment then foil for wrapping lasagna or gratins (or other casserole-type dishes)in parchment then foil for re-heating after being chilled. Plastic wrap would just melt into the dish and you don't always want the foil touching the food.

[OliverB]

so I'm supposed to have a roll of parchment paper, a roll of aluminum foils, AND a roll of this double decker? Sorry Martha, but my drawer is not expandable. But look! If I need to wrap something in parchment paper (roll number 1) and foil (roll number 2) I have it all right there! Already there! Ain't that something.

What's next, the paper towel/kitchen note pad on a roll? Soak up your mess with one side, write your shopping list on the other!

Sorry, but this is to me just one of those silly "kitchen improvements", falls into the same category as all those "it cooks! it bakes! it peels! removes stains too!" gadgets.

Oh, and I don't like Martha and all she stands for (individualize your home by doing what every body else is doing!), so I'm gonna take a pass on this one

Oh, yes, you do need to be considerate with what you wrap in aluminum, as it can and does react with certain foods. And you don't want that.

It's mostly a non issue if you just wrap something to keep it warm for 30 min, but if it's for longer time storage, don't do it.

[baroness]

Has anyone USED this product?

Unless both layers are thinner than normal, it sounds clumsy and difficult to use.

And, Oliver, I'm with you in the Martha NON-Fan Club. One would think civilization did not exist P.M. (pre-Martha)

[andiesenji]

It wouldn't work for me as a sub for parchment. I use a lot of it and buy it online in 500 sheet packs, for 1/2 size sheet pans for 35.95 and free shipping.

I buy the foil wrap at Smart & Final - big roll, inexpensive when compared to the small boxes, but there's a big box that is in the pantry for years.

Edited March 31, 2011 by andiesenji (log)

[dougal]

This stuff is available in the UK as a Lakeland product.

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/14696/Parchment-Lined-Foil

... Oliver, I'm with you in the Martha NON-Fan Club. One would think civilization did not exist P.M. (pre-Martha)

No Martha-branding from Lakeland.

I want some. It takes care of all my baking needs. I especially like it foil side up for fish en papillote.

Lakeland (back cover of their Spring 20111 Kitchen catalogue) specifically suggest and illustrate parchment side in contact with the fish (Salmon) for parcelled cooking.

Try it both ways!

[paulraphael]

I don't understand why you'd want actual foil and pachment stuck together, but releasable foil has been around a while. I've wanted to experiment with it for pizza making. I generally cheat with my high-hydration pizza doughs, and roll out the dough on parchment so it can slide easily into the oven. But parchment insulates a bit and reduces the char. It also incinerates. Releasable foil sounds like just the thing.

Bizarre that the box says "aluminum insulates." It's extremely conductive, much more than parchment, which is why I'd be interested in the Reynolds product.

Edited April 1, 2011 by paulraphael (log)

[gfweb]

Even though in search of an actual use, this could be a great product in that people will buy it to get a piece of the MS experience. The Martha fans will glom onto it.

How about using it as a waterproof shelf liner?

[dougal]

...

Bizarre that the box says "aluminum insulates." It's extremely conductive, ...

But conduction isn't the whole story.

It reflects radiant heat.

That's why oil well fire-fighters' suits are silvery.

And why there are layers of aluminium in many (most/all?) house insulation products.

And in the oven, reflection is why a foil covering limits burning/browning. Once the food darkens, it absorbs radiant heat faster, so the browned bits tend to accelerate to burned before the pale parts get brown!

Its a rare occasion for me to defend marketing shorthand, but in this case it sounds like a not-really-misleading non-technical simplification to describe shielding-from-radiant-heat as "insulation".

Personally, I'm slightly awed by the adhesive technology that sticks the "non-stick" parchment to a smooth metal surface, while being flexible at room temperature and food-safe all the way up to hot oven temperature - and staying stuck all the way.

[baroness]

I don't understand why you'd want actual foil and pachment stuck together, but releasable foil has been around a while. I've wanted to experiment with it for pizza making. I generally cheat with my high-hydration pizza doughs, and roll out the dough on parchment so it can slide easily into the oven. But parchment insulates a bit and reduces the char. It also incinerates. Releasable foil sounds like just the thing.

The Reynolds product is amazing...nothing sticks to it! Let us know if it works for pizza!

[DickL]

The Reynolds product is amazing...nothing sticks to it! Let us know if it works for pizza!

I've used it and it works fine. I slide the pizza on foil onto the stone. Then a few minutes later I remove the foil so the pizza is directly on the stone. But while the release foil works, so did regular foil (although occasionally a bit would stick to the pizza, and it would tear more easily when I was separating the pizza from the foil; the superiority of the release foil may be due in part to it being more the weight of heavy duty foil).

[heidih]

I unfortunately purchased this miserable product today (the Reynolds version) because the local stores are stocking it INSTEAD of good old parchment. It is more expensive, but was on sale so I bought it. Reynolds is marketing it for lining things like a lasagna pan. Well no wonder since it curls up and over the food in the pan apparently unless something heavy like lasagna completely fills the pan. I put my no knead dough on it and in the oven it was even worse. It completely curled up and over the dough.  Before it went in the oven I saw the curling start and tried to wrap it over the side of the sheet pan but it is too stiff and won't stay put. Quite irritated in this kitchen.........

Edited March 16, 2014 by heidih (log)

[Alex]

I also bought it at a deep discount. Sorry, but I don't think it's miserable at all. I tuck it underneath the sheet pan before putting it in the oven -- no problem. It's great for roasting vegetables. I don't think I'd use it for lasagna, though. I don't think I'd buy it if it were significantly more expensive than regular parchment, though.

[heidih]

Alex - I always roast vegetables on parchment (on a sturdy half sheet pan). How is this product better than parchment?  I couldn't tuck mine under because I ran the piece the long way and there was not enough width to tuck. Also when I took the paper off the pan and put it on my slate table to cool the foil kept it from breathing so I got condensation under my food. 

 

Edited to add: I did another pan of baked tofu and had success with folding the piece in four against the way it wants to curl and then folding it in a broad fan shape (like we made paper fans as kids) - all those creases helped it lie flatter - but PITA

Edited March 16, 2014 by heidih (log)