Epicurean Cutting Surface -- Cutting Boards

[farmersdaughter]

These cutting boards have suddenly appeared at Whole Foods, Bed Bath & Beyond and Sur La Table. I don't know if they are a new product, but I've never seen them before.

The literature says they are durable, dishwasher safe, won't dull knives, will not harbor bacteria, are heat resistant and made in the USA from "an environmentally friendly natural wood fiber". And they are thin and light, even lighter than my thin bamboo cutting boards. Can this be true? Has anyone road tested these yet?

[wildchow]

Very True and I like them also, I have found the same product much cheaper and they have some fun ideas for camping and fishing www.croixvalleycomposites.com

[grnidkjun]

I was wondering how users felt about the Epicurean boards.
I've seen them at several different shops as well.
americastestkitchen.com in the equipment corner has a review on the boards.. the epicurean was recommended with reservations.. citing that it gave off sawdust during use and the glue had an odor.

Totally Bamboo Congo was their favorite.

I don't remember if I found the link to those reviews via messages on this board or another.
I have read whole write ups on why Maple is the wood of choice on the boards.
What I wonder.. is I've found chopping boards that simply state End Grain and hardwoods.. is this a good choice.. or should one specifically state Maple?

I currently have bamboo boards.. has anyone compared them to maple?

[BoardSMITH]

The board as questioned above is made from waterproof MDF. Medium density fiberboard that has been treated with resins to make it waterproof. When I worked in a cabinet shop it was used a lot where water was going to be a problem. I see that the local Outback has started to use this for their breadboards. Very hard, waterproof and rather inexpensive.

If you see a board in a store and it doesn't state the species of wood used, be careful. Some manufacturers will use lesser quality woods and pass it off as something else. Rubber tree wood is often disguised or mislabeled as oak, cherry or other woods. It still costs about 10 to 15% as much as domestic maple.

Bamboo is used a lot for a cutting surface now. It is usually harder than maple and the smaller pieces require a lot of glue. Each piece of bamboo is about 1/4" x 3/4" in cross section as compared to a maple board with blocks 1 1/2" x 5" in cross section. The bamboo board will have about 35 times more glue. Are you cutting on glue or bamboo?

[JerryMe]

MDF as a cutting surface?? For real? I'd have never thot of that! How long would (wood - get it??) that last? I've seen MDF used in construction I just never thot of it as a cutting surface material . . .

[grnidkjun]

Point taken on the Bamboo.. man.. and I just picked up a few, but I see your point.
I've just invested in some nicer knives.. so it's time to invest in a better board as well.

Finding one around here will be troublesome.. so it looks like I'll be dragging one of my girlfriends off to the city!

[will47]

Just a "me too" here - I've had mine for a year or two (Sur la Table has been selling them at least that long), and I like it a lot, compared to any other type of cutting board I've used.

[Dual]

Nice idea, but it's basically tempered masonite, and like that material it begins to fall apart after prolonged exposure to water and abrasion. With the one we bought (nifty black color) this meant that we had little black specks appearing in our food within 6 months of purchase.

Also, we had to deal with about 2 months of industrial smell coming off the board before all the manufacturing solvents were evaporated/washed away.

I think I bought it at Linens Etc., maybe Bed Bath Below. At any rate it was about 6 months ago and we have no record of purchase. The mfr's response: "Since we did not charge you for the item you have, we are unable to refund you."

How not to stand by your product.

[annimal]

They're not actually slate, it's a surface color to the regular boards. I decided not to get the slate ones after seeing scratches on some at BB&B.

I do like my Epicurean boards, they're light and have a nice even surface, plus I won't need to oil them! I haven't had it long enough to notice my knives dulling. Though I haven't actually noticed my knives dulling at all (they're all new and I was advised not to run them on the steel until i notice a change). I have one bamboo board that is nice, but it's just heavy.

[FlavoursGal]

Slate, as in stone? If so, it's a terrible cutting surface and will damage your knives.

[ssreed]

I got a slate Epicurean cutting board and am noticing slate colored marks on my food as I chop it. I guess my knife is picking up miniscule pieces of the board and depositing them on my food. Is anyone else having this problem?

[huruta]

Love it! I have cracked so many wood cutting boards. I'm not a delicate cook. These boards are durable, light weight and easy to clean. I've had mine for about 2 years now it's still one of my favorite pieces of equipment.

[emoore]

I read elsewhere that they do dull knives, has anyone else had a problem with that? I saw them on Amazon and was thinking about purchasing one, but I do like a sharp knife . . .

[huruta]

Though I like my knives sharp, I'm not the most coordinated cook and have lots of "run-ins" with my knife and so for the sake of my fingers I don't sharpen them as often as most avid cooks. So for me this hasn't been an issue. I haven't noticed them being less sharp than they normally are since I started using the board. You could try a small one - they are about $10 - and see how you like it.

[HaagenDazs]

Come on now, don't tell me that you're really not sharpening your knives! There 6 year olds who know that a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp knife. No wonder you have so many cutting problems.

[joleta]

I got one for free by attending a Wolf applicance demonstration, and we love it. I like the feel of the knife when I cut on it. I toss it in the dishwasher and it comes out fine. I've been looking for another one to buy and am glad to hear that they've got them at BB&B.

[roxhills]

I have one epicurean board that I bought at WS. It was quite pricey but I am happy with it. It is durable. I have put it in the dishwasher. I don't have any bamboo boards to compare to, just a brand new imported european butcher block island top that I don't want to leave knife marks on. I bought the epicurean board at the suggestion of a friend who has a few and is happy with them. Since you say Bed, Bath and Beyond has them, i may pick up another with a 20% off coupon.

[wildchow]

I like them and I have found the same product much cheaper www.croixvalleycomposites.com and if you talk with them you can easily become an online dealer making good money!!