Monterey Jack

Monterey Jack, sometimes shortened to Jack, is an American white, semi-hard cheese made using cow's milk. It is noted for its mild flavor and slight sweetness.[1]

This article is about Monterey Jack cheese. For other uses, see Monterey Jack (disambiguation).
Monterey Jack
Country of originUnited States
RegionCalifornia
TownMonterey
Source of milkCows
TextureSemihard, creamy
Aging time1-6 months
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In addition to being eaten by itself, it is frequently marbled with Colby to produce Colby-Jack,[2] 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

In its earliest form, Monterey Jack was made by 18th-century Franciscan friars of Monterey, Alta California.[3] California 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".[4] 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.[5]

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 six months.[6]

Uses

The cheese is commonly used as an interior melting cheese for California-style burritos, but also some Mexican-style burritos ("bean and cheese"). It can also be used on pizza or for grilled cheese sandwiches. It has a mild flavor and good melting quality for some pasta dishes.

Variants
A wedge of Dry Jack cheese, shown with plums, pomegranate and roasted almonds

Dry Jack

Dry Jack was created by accident in 1915, when a San Francisco wholesaler forgot about a number of wheels of fresh Jack he had stored.[7] As World War I intensified and shipments of hard cheese from Europe were interrupted, he rediscovered the wheels, which had aged into a product his customers found to be a good substitute for classic hard cheeses like Parmesan.[7][8]

Pepper Jack

Pepper Jack is a derivative of Monterey Jack flavored with spicy chili peppers, bell peppers, and herbs.[9]

Blends

Additional flavor and visual appeal is created by marbling with Colby (making Colby-Jack) or a yellow cheddar cheese.

Headaches

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 cheeses that is safe to eat for migraine sufferers.[10]

See also

References
  1. Brown, Robert Carlton. "The Complete Book of Cheese, Chapter 4: "American Cheddars". Gramercy Publishing Company: New York. Monterey Jack is a stirred curd Cheddar without any annatto coloring. It is sweeter than most and milder when young.
  2. Wisconsin Cheese: Colby-Monterey Jack Archived 2018-05-26 at the Wayback Machine. Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.
  3. FWx (ed.). "The Tragic Way Monterey Jack Cheese Got Its Name". Food & Wine. In 1769, Spanish Franciscan Father Junipero Serra ... founded the first California Catholic mission in present-day San Diego. A year later, the second mission was founded at Monterey Bay
  4. Feldman, David (2006). Why do Pirates Love Parrots? An Imponderables Books. New York: Collins. pp. 53–55. ISBN 0-06-088842-3.
  5. McKinney, John (1 July 1990). "History Meets Nature Along This Big Sur Walk". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  6. Fabricant, Florence (May 10, 2000). "The Riches of Spain: Its Cheese; A New Appetite In America". Mahon, a cow's milk cheese from the island of Menorca, with an orange rind, has the kind of nuttiness with buttery overtones you might associate with aged Monterey Jack and is good used just the same way.
  7. Sarah Koops Vanderveen, Special to The Chronicle (1995-09-27). "Dry Monterey Jack Cheese: What's Old Is New Again - SFGate". Articles.sfgate.com. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  8. "Dry Jack". Cheese.com. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
  9. "Pepper Jack". cheese.com. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
  10. "Headaches from Food: The Connection". Medicinenet.com. 2005-03-29. Retrieved 2015-02-26.
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