Laurie Sanders-Polen knows some peculiar things about the eating habits of Puyallupites. They like cheddar cheese. A lot. And chevre, too. Buffalo mozzarella? That’s a big no thanks. Burrata was another that didn’t sell well with the locals. And what about stinky blues? “I thought there’d be more blue lovers,” said Sanders-Polen.

If Sanders-Polen has her way, local eaters soon will be spreading crusty baguettes with Italian butter and French butter flavored with sea salt. She’ll also introduce them to fig preserves, hand-made toffee and pungent cheeses from the far reaches of the world that cost as little as a few bucks for a small wedge at My Cheese Shoppe, which Sanders-Polen opened in downtown Puyallup in June.

Sanders-Polen is a self-proclaimed cheesemonger who never intended to sell cheese. Read more »