Europe's Protected Foods & Drinks

“Champagne” from California. “Feta” made in Germany from cow's milk. “Parmesan” that never went near Parma. Europe's most famous foods are copied endlessly, but the EU legally protects the originals. Once you know the mark, you can taste the difference.

A PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) means every step happens in one defined place, to one traditional recipe. The slightly looser PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) ties at least one stage of production to the region. Look for the red-and-yellow PDO or blue-and-yellow PGI seal and you are buying the real thing, made by people who have perfected it over centuries, not a factory knock-off borrowing a famous name.

Below: the icons worth insisting on, and what the imitation is usually called.