Introduction. Known as the Renaissance, the period immediately following the Middle Ages in Europe saw a great revival of interest in the classical learning and values of ancient Greece and Rome.
In its earliest form, Monterey Jack was made by the Mexican Franciscan friars of Monterey, California, during the 18th century. Californian businessman David Jack sold the cheese commercially. He produced a mild, white cheese, which came to be known as Jack's Cheese, and eventually Monterey Jack.
Note the color of the Shropshire Blue in comparison to other blue cheeses shown in photo to the left here. Today it is made in a similar way to Stilton, it is a soft cheese with a sharp, strong flavor that takes between six to eight weeks to mature, but longer is usually well worth the wait.