AOC and AOP products are generally prominently labeled in the grocery stores in France. Train your eye to look for these tasty treats, which are of the highest quality and always a fantastic pick.
“Normandy counts no less than 15 AOC and AOP, which makes it one of the richest and most recognized territories in Europe:
Calvados (AOC),
Calvados Pays d’Auge (AOC),
Calvados Domfrontais (AOC),
Pommeau de Normandie (AOC),
Pays d’Auge cider (AOC/AOP),
Perche cider (AOC),
Cotentin cider (AOC/ PDO),
Poiré Domfront (AOC/AOP),
Lamb from salt meadows from Mont-Saint-Michel (AOC),
Camembert from Normandy (AOP),
Livarot (AOP),
Pont l’Evêque (AOP),
Neufchâtel (AOP),
Butter Isigny (PDO),
and Cream of Isigny (PDO).
The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) designates a product for which all the stages of production are carried out according to recognized know-how in the same geographical area, which gives its characteristics to the product. It is a European sign that protects the name of the product throughout the European Union.
The Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) designates products that meet the criteria of the AOP and protects the denomination on French territory. It is a step towards the AOP, now a European sign. It may also concern products not covered by European regulations (case of forest products, for example).
The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) is an identification sign of the European Union which designates products whose quality or reputation is linked to the place of production, processing or elaboration, but whose ingredients do not come from necessarily from this geographical area
Label rouge is a trade mark of the European Union classified in France as a quality label.”*
Bisous and big hugs from Normandy, France,
Shannon
*Source: Normandie.fr