AOP: Appellation d’origine protégée.
This certification, which translates to “protected designation of origin,” is the highest level of protection that the French government affords to regional foods. To qualify, every element of the food’s production must occur in a specific area of origin—from planting to processing—and the area of origin must influence the food’s properties, either with local know-how or natural changes inherent to the food. In the case of Le Puy lentils, the region’s volcanic soil lends a particular, recognizable terroir to the lentils.