The local story behind the country’s proudest cheese is hard to slice.

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“We do know they were making cheese there called Del Monte Cheese,” Copeland says, realizing that this further complicates the story of the one true cheesemaker.

“I guess I go back to: take your choice,” he says. “Who knows? We do know that there was a cheese and that the early Californianos had the cheese. I tend to believe maybe David Jacks had dairies marketing it and his name across it. I think it says something that this cheese has some deep root here. It’s definitely a Monterey-area cheese and there are a lot of well-known pioneer families involved.

“It’s a continuing story – the never-ending story of a cheese. And maybe we don’t need a definitive answer. Maybe we need to leave people guessing and enjoy it.”

Enjoy it – with a fruity Riesling. Or maybe melted on a baguette. Or combined with zesty peppers or tangy dill. The possibilities, much like the stories surrounding the cheese, are endless.