Homemade food to go in Greenville

Mushroom quiche from P.U.F.F. in Greenville. (Credit: Jessica Bratton)

All of us have those evenings when, after a long day at work, the last thing we feel like doing is cooking dinner, and another greasy round of takeout is even less appealing. We feel like a home-made meal, but don't feel like making it.

Ahh, the conundrum.

The arrival of P.U.F.F. (which stands for Pick Up Fine Food) in the Greenville Crossing shopping center has solved that weeknight problem. The gourmet-to-go business has moved south from Mendenhall to Greenville, into the shopping center where Janssen's and Pizza by Elizabeth's used to be.

When I walked in to the bright little storefront, I was greeted immediately by owner Sydney Lickle Jordan. This wasn't just a gratuitous "hello," it was a genuine, cheerful greeting. After learning that I had never been there before, I was given the full tour.

One freezer case was filled with pints and quarts of frozen soups, including a black bean soup that looked thick and rich. Another was packed with frozen appetizers, mostly packed by the dozen. There were chicken quesadillas, pieces of brie wrapped in filo dough (with and without raspberry sauce), spanikopita, asparagus in filo, mini crabcakes, curried chicken or shrimp on toast and hot sausage spread, among others. These are the kind of appetizers you keep on hand in the freezer and throw in the oven when unexpected guests drop by, or you need a little nosh to go with your wine on a Saturday night.

I tried the sausage cups ($9.95 a dozen) and the bacon, almond, cheese squares ($9.95 a dozen). After 15 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees, the bite-sized appetizers were ready to eat. The sausage cups, little fluted cups of flaky filo dough, were filled with a slightly spicy sausage mixture. The heat wasn't overwhelming, but gave it a pleasant bite.

The little squares of a buttery, crunchy toast were topped with crumbled bacon, cheese and slivered almonds to create a bite that was crunchy, salty and just a little bit sweet. The bacon, almond, cheese squares were such a hit with one member of my dining group that I didn't dare reach for a second, for fear of having my hand pushed away.

Their entrees change each day, so you'll either want to call to see what they're serving, or be willing to make an on-the-spot decision about what you're having for dinner. The one constant entree is quiche, though they change what kind is served daily. I left with a slice of sun-dried tomato and spinach quiche. The tomatoes and spinach were enveloped in the creamiest quiche filling I've ever had, all in a crispy, flaky pie crust.

I also had an apricot-stuffed chicken breast, which was juicy and filled with apricot-studded stuffing that was the perfect pairing of sweet and savory. The hit of the entrees, however, was the seafood crepe. The crepe itself wasn't paper-thin, but maybe it had to be a bit thick to contain all of the scallops, shrimp, mushrooms and more in their creamy sauce.

Choosing my dessert from their freezer case was difficult. I was confronted with cookies, cakes, pies, brownies, blueberry buckle, mini cupcakes and ice cream from Woodside Farms. I chose their chocolate mint bars ($9.50 a dozen), and I made the right choice.

The bottom layer was almost fudge-like, the middle layer a light whipped cream like texture with just a hint of mint, sitting under a top layer of a bittersweet chocolate ganache. They were sinfully delicious, and dangerous because they come by the dozen. But they were a sweet finish to a home-cooked meal, one that I didn't have to cook.

Insider tip: They also do take-out lunches at P.U.F.F. Try their chicken salad, tuna salad or another sandwich, with two of their sides like four bean salad or fruit salad for $10.95.

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