Europeans definitely try to enforce rules like this worldwide, and AFAIK they’re mostly successful, at least in developed nations.
I haven’t seen illegitimate Parmagiano Reggiano in the USA. They usually just refer to the US-made version as “parmesan”. I also live relatively close to Napa Valley and pretty much nobody here calls wine Champagne unless it’s actual Champagne, other than a few companies that still use that loophole I linked to.
True, you don’t see producers selling fake “parmigiano reggiano” in the US (why bother when most Americans only know it as parmesan anyway). But the EU couldn’t stop them. It’d more likely be a matter for US regulators if they consider it deceptive.
I thought parmigiano reggiano was also a protected term/origin in the US. Like Vidalia onions are. Most of the other EU ones aren’t though.
That’s why “parmesan” is a thing - it’s a cheese similar to parmigiano reggiano, but with a shorter minimum aging time, and no requirements on where it’s made or what the cows are fed - parmesan can be made with commodity milk anywhere rather than in one part of Italy from a specific breed of cattle fed at least 50% by grass grown in that part of Italy. Other than the aging time the process is similar, which is why the cheese is similar.
Those European rules don’t apply in the US. You can also make parmigiano reggiano in the US.
Europeans definitely try to enforce rules like this worldwide, and AFAIK they’re mostly successful, at least in developed nations.
I haven’t seen illegitimate Parmagiano Reggiano in the USA. They usually just refer to the US-made version as “parmesan”. I also live relatively close to Napa Valley and pretty much nobody here calls wine Champagne unless it’s actual Champagne, other than a few companies that still use that loophole I linked to.
Removed by mod
True, you don’t see producers selling fake “parmigiano reggiano” in the US (why bother when most Americans only know it as parmesan anyway). But the EU couldn’t stop them. It’d more likely be a matter for US regulators if they consider it deceptive.
I thought parmigiano reggiano was also a protected term/origin in the US. Like Vidalia onions are. Most of the other EU ones aren’t though.
That’s why “parmesan” is a thing - it’s a cheese similar to parmigiano reggiano, but with a shorter minimum aging time, and no requirements on where it’s made or what the cows are fed - parmesan can be made with commodity milk anywhere rather than in one part of Italy from a specific breed of cattle fed at least 50% by grass grown in that part of Italy. Other than the aging time the process is similar, which is why the cheese is similar.