Lisa Prepon, seen here with husband Howard Bernstein, will tell you all you need to know to grind it right at the Spice & Tea Exchange. (Photo by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)

By SUSAN ERICSON

Mortar and pestle sets in 2014?

Well, they seem downright at home at Red Bank’s Spice & Tea Exchange, a Monmouth Street shop styled after an 18th-century trading post.

Made from marble, ceramic or wood, they also remain a necessity, even in the modern kitchen.

“They work better than a mechanical device, because they don’t pulverize the spices, when what you really want to do is release the oils and the flavors the old-fashioned way, which is the better way,” said Lisa Prepon, who owns the store with her husband, Howard Bernstein.

The mortar-and-pestles range in price from $9.95 for a small ceramic set to $34.95 for a large marble set. For an interesting juxtaposition, the stainless steel spice containers lend a modern touch to the spice grinding concept.

If you are looking for something old-fashioned, or something new, you might find it at the Spice and Tea Exchange. Information pertaining to this business can be found here.