By Leah Blackard, Navarro Council of the Arts

The Palace Theatre has announced that it has a few remaining seats to the Holiday Gala and dinner Dec. 10 at the Cook Center at Navarro College. This dinner features Chef Kent Rathbun of Abacus, Jasper’s and Blue Plate Kitchen in Dallas and Winemaker Michael Martini of Louis Martini Winery.

The fourth dinner in the 2009 Food and Wine Club will feature outstanding food dishes along with fine wines. All of the profits from these dinners benefit the programs of the Palace Theatre.

On the menu for the event is passed appetizers featuring fajita grilled chicken, cilantro-pesto nacho and tempura shrimp spoon, coconut-yellow curry sauce.

The first course will be “bacon and eggs,” featuring Niman Ranch chipotle Bacon, scrambled duck egg with black truffle. The second course will be Molasses-black pepper glazed quail, grilled mushroom-sweet potato pudding and shiner bock pan gravy. The third course will feature wagyu trip tip, roasted cauliflower-fave bean risotto with toasted garlic-chianti glaze. The fourth course will feature dried cherry-white chocolate bread pudding, cherry port chutney.

The wines will include Chardonnay, Sonoma County Cabernet, Alexander Valley Cabernet, Monte Rosso, and Zinfandel.

Wine Maker Mike Martini is a graduate of the world-renowned winemaking program at U.C. Davis. Martini worked alongside his father before taking over the reins as winemaker in 1977. He continues to develop his own strong personal style, creating wines that are balanced, complex, and well-suited to accompany foods.

Martini studied artisan winemaking techniques in Bordeaux and Burgundy before settling in at home. Much of what he learned there went into the micro-winery he recently built a hundred yards from his office.

Chef Kent Rathbun has created three of the most talked about restaurant concepts in the nation — Abacus, Jasper’s and Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen. Rathbun started as an apprentice at La Bonne Auberge, a five-star French restaurant located in Kansas City, Mo. He gained the experience of working with high end ingredients and learned the art of perfect preparation. Rathbun has worked in the kitchens of Mr. B’s in New Orleans, American Restaurant and Milano in Kansas City, The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, and the Landmark Restaurant in the Dallas Melrose Hotel. Drawing on Southwestern Mediterranean, American, Cajun/Creole and Pacific Rim influences, Rathbun’s signature blend of flavors became the foundation of Ababcus.

In 1997, Rathbun decided to follow his dream, draw on his eclectic and distinctive style and establish his own world-class restaurant. Abacus began to be recognized as a pinnacle of fine dining and has received numerous accolades, including Mobil Four Stars; AAA Four Diamonds, Five Stars from the Dallas Morning News; Bon Appetit’s Best of the Year 2001 issue which named Abacus’ Chef tasting menu a “Top Pick;” “Best Chef” by D Magazine; and “Once of the Top Meals Around the World” by USA Today.

Abacus’ design, wine list and menu have also been recognized and featured in publications such as Elle, Southern Living, Veranda, Texas Monthly, and The Rosie Magazine.

The evening promises to be a lovely evening with delicious foods and wines. There are only a few remaining seats left for this once in a lifetime dinner here in Corsicana. In addition to the food and Christmas theme, there will be decorated Christmas item available for purchase from local artisans.

Reservations to this event are $125 each and the dinner will take place on Thursday, Dec.. 10, at the Cook Center on Navarro College campus.

For more information on this event, please contact the Palace Theatre at (903) 874-7792.

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Leah Blackard is executive director of the Navarro Council of the Arts.

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