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Like the recent LA Times article said, parchment paper has so many uses. Most of mine come in the form of baking. I have never purchased a silpat, tho' Anyone have cleaning issues with those?

If I'm baking foods that will stick - Silpat all the way. I also have two pretenders that came out way after Silpat and I tried them. One sits under my cutting board to keep it from slipping and the other is an emergency liner that I'll probably never use. Both pretenders had food residue after baking, but not the Silpat. If I didn't know it was used, I would have thought it was still clean. For the right applications (cookies, parmesan crackers, brittles, etc.) nothing beats Silpat. I need one more. I also have parchment paper and use it for other applications and wouldn't want to be without it.

I love my Silpat and have had it for about 4 years. I've never had an issue with residue or other flavor retention but I have only used it for baking (pastry goods). It comes clean very well.

I always have parchment in the kitchen, as well. It's invaluable for lining pans and when you have several pans of something going at once, Silpat is a little price prohibitive for that purpose. On Vday I was making candy and had 3 pans going in an out of the freezer so the parchment worked great. Sometimes you don't have any other option but to use a disposable liner.

I absolutely intend to get another Silpat. I like it that much. I just wish someone would make parchment paper that would come off the roll with a straight edge. For as much as you pay for it, you would think they could manufacture a better dispensing package. I've tried several brands and they're all horrible.

My Silpats look like they've been to war, but they are what I prefer for baking:
http://nujoikitchendiary.blogspot.com/2008/02/lagniappe.html

I also sometimes use them in place of foil. I have parchment paper too. It plays back up to the Silpats and I use it to line cake pans.

I'll take any suggestions about how to get them back to pristine condition.

I use both. Basically I use the Silpat when I want to be sure nothing slides around. I use parchment for bread, cookie, and cake baking. Silpats for candy making and to hold pie pans on top of baking sheets for baking to prevent sliding, and contain any spills.

I have heard that Silpats can retain some of the fat of whatever was baked on, and that accounts for their permanent stains and isn't a big deal.

As for those who hate the rolling, you can buy parchment in sheets made for half sheet pans and cookie sheets, here's a link from King Arthur Flour: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/detail.jsp?select=C81&byCategory=C325&id=5854

I've had the same four Silpats for about seven years. I don't know how I lived without them.

I've used them at high temps. They all look like this. http://gumbeauxkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/10/wildfires-and-comfort-food.html

The only times I go to parchment is for items where I want something hanging over the edge so that I can lift a baked good up and out of the pan (like brownies), or for very strong flavors such as garlic rolls.

I just love, love, love my Silpats!

I use mine at high temps and roast veggies on them, which is what I think did them in. Oh well ...

I use parchment paper only. Easy clean up - just throw it away. Nothing sticks to my baking sheets, my cakes and quick breads pop out of the pans, I wrap baked goods for gifts in it and tie with raffia, use as muffin cups in my muffin pan, make paper airplanes. I only use parchment paper.