Olive oil is one of Europe's crown jewels — the EU produces roughly two-thirds of the world's supply — and also one of the most label-gamed products in the supermarket. "Italian" oil that's mostly Tunisian, "extra virgin" that wouldn't pass a taste panel, Tuscan landscapes on bottles blended from three continents. Here's how to cut through it.
Dijon mustard might be the most famous food name in France after champagne. But here's the twist: while "Champagne" is fiercely protected by law, "Dijon" is not. Any factory on any continent can sell "Dijon mustard" — and most jars on European shelves contain seeds that crossed an ocean to get there.
You've seen the little red-and-yellow and blue-and-yellow seals on cheese, ham and olive oil. They look official — and they are. But most shoppers can't tell you the difference between a PDO and a PGI, and food marketers are very happy to keep it that way. Here is what each label legally guarantees, where the loopholes are, and how to use them to buy genuinely European food.