Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is a Californian white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk, with a mild flavor and slight sweetness. Originating in Monterey, on the Central Coast of California, the cheese has been called "a vestige of Spanish rule in the early nineteenth century, deriving from a Franciscan monastic style of farmer's cheese".

In addition to being eaten by itself, it is frequently marbled with Colby to produce Colby-Jack, or with yellow cheddar to produce cheddar-Jack. Pepper Jack is a version flavored with chili peppers and herbs. Dry Jack is a harder cheese with a longer aging time.

Origins

thumb|A wedge of dry aged Monterey Jack, known as Dry Jack

In its earliest form, Monterey Jack was made by 18th-century Franciscan friars of Monterey, Alta California.

In the 19th century, various individuals contributed to the production and commercialization of this cheese. Notably, Doña Juana Cota de Boronda began making and selling Queso del País (Spanish for "country cheese") in Monterey to support her family after her husband became incapacitated. She utilized a handmade jack to press the curds, which may have influenced the cheese's eventual name. California land speculator and businessman David Jacks sold the cheese commercially. He produced a mild white cheese that came to be known eponymously as "Jacks' Cheese" and eventually "Monterey Jack". Other ranchers in the area likewise produced the cheese, among them Andrew Molera, who built a successful dairy operation in Big Sur and whose Monterey Jack was especially well regarded.

Aging

Although most of the softer varieties found in American supermarkets are aged for only one month, "Dry Jack" is a harder variety aged for up to 24 months.

Pepper Jack is a derivative of Monterey Jack flavored with spicy chili peppers, bell peppers, and herbs.

Headache safety

Because of its low content of tyramine, an organic compound thought to be associated with headaches, Monterey Jack is frequently recommended as one of the few kinds of cheese that is safe to eat for migraine sufferers.

See also

  • List of cheeses
  • Mahón cheese
  • Mallorca cheese

References

  • Bibliography of Dairying in California 1770 to 1945
  • Archival Materials - Dairying In California 1770 to 1945