Brand Name Stuff I'll Admit to Buying

Most of the grocery items I buy don't come with brand names on them. On principle I try to avoid giving a dime of my money to companies like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, General Mills, Kraft, Tyson, Nestle or any of their ilk. Most of what they have to offer is simply not what I want to eat, and I'm not convinced it's even good to eat. I'm lucky enough to live in a place where I'm not at the mercy of my local supermarket; I can buy veggies at the greengrocer or farmer's market, meat from the butcher, coffee from the roaster, spices from the spice shop, fish from the fishmonger and cheese and other dairy products from the cheesemonger. I consider the ability to shop like this a privilege that comes with the astronomical cost of a Manhattan apartment. But as American it's nearly impossible to sidestep Big Food altogether, and I'd rather save a buck or two at my local supermarket than burn my money at Whole Foods.

So here's a list of brand name products I'm happy to buy. I'm sure you've seen some or all of them in your supermarket. In my mind these represent decent value and quality, making them worth a try:

Goya Beans: Yes, I have a pressure cooker and cook my own beans. But sometimes I'll pay more for the convenience of just opening a can and having the beans already cooked for me, in spite of them being saltier than if I'd cooked them. Goya black beans are a classic. Their cannellini beans are very good as well, as long as they're rinsed before using.

Goya Capers/Olives: I use both, and Goya capers and Spanish olives are good quality and cheaper than many other brands.

Cafe Bustelo: I keep this around for when I run out of the good stuff. Makes an acceptable cafe con leche and iced coffee. Somewhere between cheap coffee and good coffee, with an almost chocolaty bold taste. It's espresso, but not as heavily roasted as Italian or French style. It's also hard to beat the graphics on the can.

Don Francisco's Espresso: Found this when I was on the West Coast. It's like Cafe Bustelo, but better. Great stuff to feed a Bialetti machine.

Dijon Mustard: For years I bought the French brand Maille, which is a little pricey. I still like it, but have discovered that I like Grey Poupon almost as well, and Roland Extra Strong maybe even a little better. Emeril even has his own Dijon out there that's perfectly acceptable (and often on sale). I tear through quite a bit of the stuff.

Garofalo Pasta: I normally buy the cheapest 100% Durum pasta I can get, because I'm not entirely convinced there is that much difference between one dried pasta and another. This brand actually seems to be a little better, however, and not obscenely expensive (about $2.50 a lb.). I might be making a switch.

Pearl River Bridge Soy Sauce: This is my go to Chinese soy sauce. Helps to live on the edge of Chinatown.

Squid Brand Fish Sauce: This is a mild take on fish sauce. That's fine by me, as the stuff can sometimes be quite strong. If you never cook Southeast Asian food this is useless to you.

San Pellegrino Sparkling Water: I blame Ryan Adams for getting me into this stuff. Now I consider it essential backstage, and it often finds its way into my fridge at home. Yes, it costs three times more than a bottle of seltzer, but to me it's an affordable indulgence. I need something to drink with a meal when coffee, wine or beer are the wrong choices. No one can convince me this stuff isn't rock and roll.

Genova Tonno: I've written about this one before. The premium label from Chicken of the Sea. Made to look like the more expensive Italian tuna, and like the Italian stuff it's packed with olive oil and sea salt. Another affordable indulgence. Twice the price of a can of cheap tuna mush, and about twice as good.

PG Tips Tea: I don't drink a ton of tea, but this is about as good as bag tea gets if you're looking for English style.

Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce: My favorite spicy table condiment, especially for Asian food: great combination of flavor and heat. I like the fact that it's chunky as well. Rooster on jar.