The Epicurean line of cutting boards is taking the specialty cookware store by storm. Thin and sleek, these boards promise to be dishwasher safe, environmentally friendly and knife friendly. I decided to give them a test run to see how they measured up to their claims.
I decided to test the largest size (17 by 14 inches) of the recycled line, which is made of a composite of recycled cardboard and resin. The board is only about half an inch thin, which means it's lighter to lift and carry than most wooden boards, and is also easier to store than thicker boards; unfortunately the lightness also means that it can slide on the counter. Anchoring it with a damp dishtowel can solve this problem. The company claims the board is knife-friendly, meaning that the surface has enough "give" to keep a knife from dulling quickly. Wood, of course, is the most forgiving cutting surface for a knife blade. The board felt brittle beneath my knife, loudly clicking under the knife strokes, a sound I associate with cutting on surfaces like plastic. But over the course of a couple of weeks of use, I didn't notice any significant dulling of my cutlery. What's more, the board started showing scratches from the knife. While this detracted from the beauty of the board, it did show me that the surface is softer than I thought, thus good for my knife's blade.
Water seems to bead up on the epicurean board, making it easy to wipe clean between tasks. But best yet, at the end of your cooking session, you can throw the whole thing in the dishwasher.
The company claims that all Epicurean Cutting Surfaces are stain- and heat-resistant. Besides the recycled line, the company has several other product lines that boast everything from juice grooves to storage cups for sauces to gripper corners.
The 17x14 inch Recycled Epicurean Cutting Board sells for around $35.
