…I figured that all thoughts would be about food.  So today’s post is from a pal about a cookbook debut:

 

 
LOS OLIVOS, California; November 8, 2010 – Brothers Cuisine, Recipes from Santa Barbara, California Wine Country (Nichols Brothers Restaurant, $34.95, November) is the first cookbook by brothers Matt and Jeff Nichols, owner and chefs of the celebrated Brothers Restaurant at Mattei’s Tavern, in Los Olivos, California, the heart of Santa Barbara wine country.  Influenced by the Iowan family gardens of their youth, both have cooked in great kitchens, including those of Chefs Wolfgang Puck, Rick Bayless and Jimmy Schmidt.

Since the beginning of Brothers Restaurant in 1996, Matt and Jeff Nichols have cooked for over a half million people and have had thousands of requests for their recipes. Now they share their passion and over 145 recipes with those who enjoy cooking at home with a collection of the Nichols’ guests’ favorite dishes: Jalapeño Cornbread, Tuna Tartar with Avocado & Spicy Yuzu Vinaigrette, Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad, Puree of Sweet Corn Soup with Maine Lobster, Morel Mushroom and English Pea Risotto, Horseradish-Crusted Irish Salmon, Grilled Iowa Pork Rib Chop with Apple Sauce & Honey Butter, Grilled Filet of Prime Beef with Stilton Cheese & Port Wine Sauce, Strawberry Shortcake, and Mud Pie with Chocolate & Caramel Sauces, to name just a few.

The Nichols brothers have also incorporated “Bro Notes” to help give home cooks insight and culinary tricks of the trade along with recipe variations. The book includes the history of their journey in building their own restaurant, the “Brothers Philosophy,” an overview of living life in Santa Barbara Wine Country, and Seasonal Menus.

Brothers Restaurant at Mattei’s Tavern stands in the small town of Los Olivos, California, in the heart of Santa Barbara wine country. Built in 1886, Mattei’s Tavern was a meeting place for locals and a resting place for weary stagecoach travelers. Today, Matt and Jeff, along with their restaurant family, continue to honor the Mattei’s family by making Brothers Restaurant at Mattei’s Tavern the gathering place for locals and visitors alike. The Nichols brothers encourage you to share their way of life – “Cook up a storm, open a bottle of Santa Barbara County wine, and share a table with your family and friends.”

The self-published 242 page full color book, co-written with award-winning author James O. Fraioli, boasts photography by Jessica Nicosia-Nadler, Meagan Szasz, and Kirk Irwin and book design by theBookDesigners.  The book is available exclusively through Brothers Restaurant, the restaurant website, www.matteistavern.com and limited local retailers in the Santa Ynez valley.

Brothers Restaurant at Mattei’s Tavern and Matt and Jeff Nichols have been featured in Food & Wine, the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Central Coast magazines.  Both brothers live in the Santa Ynez Valley with their wives, Marta and Heather and their families and dedicate their time and services to the community that they love.