I have to disagree with your position regarding regional protections of products. I lived in the US and Europe and I can say each approach makes sense on each continent.
Domestic (American) Gruyere can be found commonly in the US as well as Parmesan, Gouda, etc. The American versions, however, aren’t an “apples to apples” comparison. Domestic Prosciutto, for example, is an inferior product compared to the protected Italian version. A Cuban-style cigar is not really equivalent to the island product. I believe here in New Mexico you can only call green chiles from Hatch, NM Hatch, “Hatch green chile”. Otherwise, they must be called the varietal “Anaheim”. Why does that matter? New Mexicans prefer to buy local chiles grown in NM. The locals consider hatch chiles superior. (Maytag Blue cheese would be a similar example. It is pretty unique.)
Domestically, unless otherwise noted, we assume salami came from someplace like Chicago and not Italy. “Domestic Gouda” pretty much sums up the fact it isn’t Dutch. This is why “Belgian style chocolate” or even the name “Champagne” make sense in the US. If it comes from America I guess you are trying to convey a sense of the product?
While living in Europe, chocolates from each country were distinct in character. Swiss chocolate does not resemble Belgian chocolate. Belgian beer is definitely not German beer.
Finally, yes, sometimes common sense seems to collide. Champagne is a great example. Champagne is an odd example where it is a unique product and a regionally protected one. (I recall a strange German beer that had blocks of yeast in the bottle with a regional protection as well). In this instance the protection mark seems to break down against the naming convention (and yeah, agreed it does).
As Americans, we can roll our eyes and toast cheap domestic champagne instead of Champagne. If I am in Spain, however, I expect my $150+/lb Iberico ham to have eaten a diet of exclusively acorns in Spain not pine cones in Iowa.
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for once, I disagree with your conclusion
I have to disagree with your position regarding regional protections of products. I lived in the US and Europe and I can say each approach makes sense on each continent.
Domestic (American) Gruyere can be found commonly in the US as well as Parmesan, Gouda, etc. The American versions, however, aren’t an “apples to apples” comparison. Domestic Prosciutto, for example, is an inferior product compared to the protected Italian version. A Cuban-style cigar is not really equivalent to the island product. I believe here in New Mexico you can only call green chiles from Hatch, NM Hatch, “Hatch green chile”. Otherwise, they must be called the varietal “Anaheim”. Why does that matter? New Mexicans prefer to buy local chiles grown in NM. The locals consider hatch chiles superior. (Maytag Blue cheese would be a similar example. It is pretty unique.)
Domestically, unless otherwise noted, we assume salami came from someplace like Chicago and not Italy. “Domestic Gouda” pretty much sums up the fact it isn’t Dutch. This is why “Belgian style chocolate” or even the name “Champagne” make sense in the US. If it comes from America I guess you are trying to convey a sense of the product?
While living in Europe, chocolates from each country were distinct in character. Swiss chocolate does not resemble Belgian chocolate. Belgian beer is definitely not German beer.
Finally, yes, sometimes common sense seems to collide. Champagne is a great example. Champagne is an odd example where it is a unique product and a regionally protected one. (I recall a strange German beer that had blocks of yeast in the bottle with a regional protection as well). In this instance the protection mark seems to break down against the naming convention (and yeah, agreed it does).
As Americans, we can roll our eyes and toast cheap domestic champagne instead of Champagne. If I am in Spain, however, I expect my $150+/lb Iberico ham to have eaten a diet of exclusively acorns in Spain not pine cones in Iowa.
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