What makes good ingredients good.
Extra virgin olive oil must meet chemical and sensory standards. 'Extra virgin' on a label is not a guarantee of quality — adulteration is widespread. Look for harvest dates (not just best-before), single-origin or clearly sourced oils, and purchase from specialist importers when quality matters.
Woody herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage) often perform better dried than fresh in cooked applications — the drying concentrates flavour compounds. Soft herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, chives) should almost always be used fresh; drying destroys the volatile oils that make them valuable.
Good homemade stock is genuinely better than any commercial substitute. But the best commercial stocks (sold refrigerated or frozen, not shelf-stable) are closer to homemade than you might expect. The irreplaceable quality of homemade: gelatin from collagen-rich bones, which creates body and mouthfeel that store-bought lacks.