KITCHENCRAFT ARTSERVLEATH Artesà Duo Serving Board, 38x16cm, Sleeved

Really useful item for serving desserts or using as a cheese board I’ve found it to be.Looks stylish and an alternative for serving at the table instead of plates. The wooden tray is smooth no rough edges and the slate gives it a modern look as well as keeping items cool on it like cheese or desserts. A handy hanging loop but the slate is loose so that can’t be hung up with it less it would fall out. Makes a lovely gift with maybe a pack of cheese to go with it. Hand wash only and so far no bits of slate have broken off.

ARTESA Acacia Wood Serving Tray with Slate insetA smart and elegant serving tray made from seasoned Acacia wood. The base measures 15” long by 6 1/4” wide and has a cut out section 10 1/2” long with a natural slate insert. It is a little rustic round the edges but that does not detract from the overall appeal.At the right hand end is a loop of good quality soft leather for hanging the tray BUT beware, the slate is not permanently fixed and with nothing to hold it in place ...will fall out. It did on the two occasions I held the tray vertically. Although the slate is a fairly robust piece, it will break if it hits something substantial or alternatively cause damage if it hits something breakable. The slate piece is quite heavy and you will certainly know about it if it hits your foot !As an individual serving tray it adds an unusual place setting but a little care is required in choosing an appropriate dish that will not have any liquid element. Perhaps better as a communally used cheese dish or the slate piece can be removed to expand the tray leaving the wooden part for bread or biscuits and the slate for cheese. Either way it is quite versatile but make sure the slate, if removed has some protection underneath if used on a polished table top as without it will cause scratches that will be difficult and expensive to remove.Being all natural pieces, it does not take kindly to prolonged submersion in water as that will cause damage. To clean, all it needs is a wipe. The tray carries a 5 year warranty so the manufacturers have confidence in their product and so long as you follow the simple care instructions, you will have this tray for a long time.Competitively priced for such an item, it will last a long time so adding value. It comes from a range of similar products produced by Artesa one of which will be just right for your table.

I bought this as a Christmas present as we regularly take a small cheese board to the local pub and I thought this one with a removable slate panel would be ideal as it offers an extra surface when separated. I also liked the idea of a carrying handing to make things super easy. Unfortunately the slate does not stay in place during transit and falls straight out-a real design flaw, this makes the addition of a carrying strap absolutely pointless so I really wouldn’t recommend the product. Having tried to contact the manufacturer I’ve received very little in terms of feedback on whether this is a design flaw/faulty or otherwise so all in all I’m not happy.

The acacia wood was a little more rustic than I thought it would be, being rather roughly finished which was rather a shock as other Artesa items I’ve received have been beautifully finished. This could have been an absolutely gorgeous item but the roughness of the wood and the rather poor quality of the leather strap let it down somewhat. What does rescue it is the versatility- you can remove the slate insert very easily to make 2 platters so you effectively have a separate wooden and slate server on the table. This is great for serving meats and bread or cheese and crackers. The natural slate is difficult to clean, however, so make sure you treat it with care.

As expected from Kitchen Craft, a very high-quality well designed product that represents excellent value for money. An artisanal, industrial look, with an open grained wood that is easy to clean. Leather strap for hanging, this is a flat board. Could be used for cheese, ham, charcut or even pastries and tarts. Attractive, highly recommended.