SoapStone (http://g603.net) vs. Pietra del Cardosa for Kitchen Countertops

I was well on my way to using a mariana soapStone (http://g603.net) for my kitchen Counter (http://GialloFiorito.com) tops when a sales person at a Granite (http://tanbrown.org) and (http://maplered.com) Marble (http://www.lightemprador.com) place pointed me in the direction of Pietra del Cardosa. I wish I could remember her exact word, but it was something like soapStone (http://g603.net) in a kitchen is a "disaster" or "ridiculous".

I do like the soapStone (http://g603.net) look A LOT, but am concerned about the scratching and (http://maplered.com) the maintenance. The Pietra del Cardosa seemed like a good alternative.

Any thoughts/recommendations between the two? Does the shist have the same heat tolerance characteristics as the soapStone (http://g603.net) ? Also, any recommendations on how to best maintain the shist?

Are there any specific factors to consider when deciding soapStone (http://g603.net) over Pietra or vice versa??

Thank you!