Cooks' Recommended Brands

supermarket olive oil: Terra Medi Extra Virgin Olive Oil (highly recommended *and* lowest price for top recs), Lucini Italia Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil, DaVinci (best mass market) balsamic vinegar: LUCINI GRAN RISERVA BALSAMICO, MONARI FEDERZONI BALSAMIC VINEGAR OF MODENA (Colavita is a "rec with reservations" option) orange juice: Tropicana Pure Premium 100% Pure and Natural Orange Juice with Some Pulp supermarket whole bean coffee: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Our Blend; MILLSTONE Colombian Supremo; STARBUCKS COFFEE House Blend salsa: Santa Barbara Medium Salsa (refrigerated), Rojo's Restaurant Style Salsa Medium (refrigerated), Old El Paso Thick 'n Chunky Medium Salsa canned beans: Goya pasta: Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend; Mueller’s, De Cecco for non-whole-grain shapes; Ronzoni, De Cecco for spaghetti Whole Tomatoes: look for packed in juice, not puree, such as Progresso Italian-Style with Basil Diced or Chopped Tomatoes: look for packed in juice, not puree, such as Muir Glen Crushed Tomatoes: Progresso Tomato Puree: Hunt's Tomato Sauce: Hunt's liquid smoke: Wright's Liquid Smoke applesauce: Lucky Leaf Natural Applesauce, Mott's Organics Unsweetened Applesauce, Mott's Classic Natural Applesauce, Musselman's Natural Applesauce cocoa powder: Droste Dutch Processed Cocoa cheddar cheese: Cabot pizza cheese: Calabro brand whole milk (low-moisture) mozzarella