MONTEREY JACK

mild, smooth cow's-milk cheese produced mainly in California; it originated in Monterey County but is now made elsewhere in California, notably Sonoma County (where it is known as Sonoma Jack), and in Wisconsin. Generally aged about six weeks, occasionally three months, Jack cheese is pale ivory in colour, quite bland in flavour, and smooth and semisoft in texture with small irregular holes. It is sometimes flavoured with spices, pimientoes, or jalapeo peppers. Dry Jack is a rarer, aged version, a deep yellow-gold cheese similar in texture and flavour to well-aged cheddar.