Jack

The United States is the land of immigrants. People, culture, food—so much of what’s here has roots over there.

But America can lay claim to Jack, a cheese style invented by Scottish immigrant David Jacks, who lived in Monterey, Calif. at the close of the 19th century.

The original Jack is a mild, youthful cheese made of pasteurized cow’s milk. It’s soft, with a slight lemony tang to it. Frequently, it’s spiced up by the addition of jalapeño peppers, which are added early in the production process.

Dry Jack is a more mature version. It’s aged for seven or more months, which produces a yellow, sharp cheese.

In neither its youthful nor aged form does Jack offer a heady swirl of taste and texture. But so what? It’s straightforward, just like its homeland.