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RED BANK: A BIT OF A KITCHEN GRIND

061314 spice market 2Lisa 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

morsels mediumMortar 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.

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RED BANK: PURGE THAT IMPOTENT PAPRIKA

spice_and_tea_exchange (3)Bianca Montalbano of the Spice & Tea Exchange gives PieHole some tips on spring cleaning our spice cabinet. (Photo by Jim Willis. Click to enlarge)

By JIM WILLIS

spice_and_tea_exchangeFor many home cooks across the Green, the end of winter marks the time to tackle some spring cleaning in the kitchen.

But it’s not just about organizing the pantry for the new season and purging the freezer of those unidentifiable foil-wrapped, freezer-burnt leftovers. If you’re serious about seasoning, it’s also time to think about replacing some of the aged spices in your spice cabinet.

PieHole checked in with Lisa Prepon and Bianca Montalbano of the Spice & Tea Exchange in Red Bank to get some help with spring cleaning our spice rack.

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RED BANK: A ZESTY NEW NEIGHBOR

spice 2PieHole happened to be on the scene when Red Bank’s new sugar and spice purveyor came looking to give away some lemons leftover from a morning of zesting. (Photo by Jim Willis. Click to enlarge)

By JIM WILLIS

While out foraging in downtown Red Bank earlier this week, PieHole happened upon a curious giveaway.

“We were dehydrating lemons this morning to make lemon zest,” says Howard Bernstein, carrying a hefty bag of skinned lemons, “and we have no use for the rest of the lemons.”

Bernstein tells PieHole he’s “just waiting on permits” to open his new shop, the Spice & Tea Exchange, on Monmouth Street. He hopes to be opened by Thursday of next week, and is prepping ingredients for the spice blends he’ll be selling.

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