Top 10 Protected Foods

The European Union has given Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb "Protected Designation of Origin" status — a fancy-sounding legal term to distinguish certain produce from that of growers elsewhere in the E.U. It's the latest addition to a growing list of food and drinks with one type of protected status or another. Here's a look at 10 treats with very particular pedigrees

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Cachaça (Brazil)

By Meg HandleyWednesday, Mar. 31, 2010
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GABY BOHLE / GETTY

A caipirinha

Marketed as the "essence of Brazil in a bottle," cachaça (ka-SHA-sa) is produced in Brazil by fermenting sugarcane juice for 24 hours, then boiling the liquid to intensify the alcohol's potency. The distilled liquor gained popularity after the refreshing cachaça-based cocktail the caipirinha made its way into European and American bars and restaurants. In 2003, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva specified the names cachaça and caipirinha as strictly Brazilian in origin. Brazil has also lobbied the E.U. to ensure that the name cachaça applies only to products of Brazilian origin.