“This is a definitive account of place-based food labeling. Whether comparing the legal terms of European protected designations of origin versus U.S. trademarks or detailing the cultural imaginaries of Slow Food’s Arc of Taste, Parasecoli is a savvy guide to the political intricacies and social consequences of geographical indications.”—Heather Paxson, author, The Life of Cheese: Crafting Food and Value in America 

“This lucid investigation of place-based food and drink labels lays out the intersection of trade networks and intellectual property regimes over the past century and provides important new insights. The legal and political engagements with these labels have complex, contradictory, and inconsistent consequences, thus providing a crucial cautionary tale to both producers and consumers.”—Amy B. Trubek, author, The Taste of Place: A Cultural Journey into Terroir

“This book demonstrates the global importance of place-based labels in contemporary food culture, fusing issues of development, heritage, and food security along the way. I particularly found Parasecoli an expert guide through the complex trade agreements, legal codes, and practical considerations that make ‘place’ matter for the future of food.”—Michaela DeSoucey, author, Contested Tastes: Foie Gras and the Politics of Food 

“Knowing Where It Comes From is a singular achievement on the construction of local food in our contemporary societies. The critical and experienced perspective of Parasecoli reveals successfully the hits, interests, needs, and contradictions of the world of today’s food.”—F. Xavier Medina, director, UNESCO chair on food, culture, and development at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Barcelona