by Steven Doyle
Fort Worth is about to get a little bit cheesier if Elizabeth Northern has anything to do with the matter. Northern is days away from opening Magnolia Cheese Company which will serve as a café and artisan cheese shop which will be located at 1251 W. Magnolia in Fort Worth.
The cut-to-order artisan cheese shop will focus on local and American Artisan selections along with a menu of sandwiches, salads, small plates and desserts that will change seasonally. Northern who has worked in the local media says that she stumbled into the cheese business about five years ago.
“Like a lot of people, I started taking notice of where the food I ate was coming from,” Northern said. “Close friends and family were eating more from their gardens. So many of us have had that veggie right off the vine, and it’s like tasting it for the first time. I missed the gooey cheeses from my European travels, so I started learning about these farmstead cheeses closer to home. These cheese makers work in small batches, rotating herds of grass-fed animals to keep their farms healthy. This just makes for complex, flavorful food.”
That interest grew as Northern began attending seminars and traveling nationwide to talk to artisan cheese shop owners with the idea of opening her own storefront one day. In 2011, Northern attended the Cheese School of San Francisco where she studied with the renowned cheese industry expert Daphne Zepos.
Look for about 65% American artisan cheeses and 35% from abroad. Magnolia Cheese Company will also host a full line of wines and craft beers. Also look for Northern to host cheese classes, as well as wine and beer pairings.
Look for Magnolia Cheese Company to open December 18, 2012.
