🧀 Monterey Jack

Monterey Jack is a semi-hard white cow’s milk cheese with a mild, slightly sweet flavor, originating in the city of Monterey on California’s central coast. The method is typical of young rennet cheeses: the milk is curdled, the curd is cut and stirred, partly washed, then pressed and aged for several weeks. The cheese comes out elastic, low in acidity and excellent for melting.

The earliest form of this cheese goes back to the Franciscan missions of 18th-century Alta California. In the 19th century Juana Cota de Boronda made and sold it in Monterey as “queso del país” (“local cheese”), and the businessman David Jacks set up commercial sales — by a common account, the name comes from his surname. Another version links the name to a hand press (“jack”) used for the curd.

Monterey Jack differs from Cheddar in its milder flavor and lower acidity. Variants include Pepper Jack with chili peppers, marbled Colby Jack and the aged hard Dry Jack. The cheese goes into quesadillas, nachos, sandwiches, burgers and casseroles.