So, I've got a coupla 1x2-6' hunks of "maple" sitting about. They look like
candidates for a cutting board to me, as an official woodtard (i.e. a
beginning wooddorker). Is there any way to tell the difference? One piece
is pretty white, whilst the other has a slight pinkish cast to it, almost
like very light red oak. Grain on both is pretty close to the same, if not
identical.

Is there any way to tell the species of these bits of wood? And really,
will it make much difference if these *aren't* hard maple and become an
end-grain cutting board?

Jason