Whether you are hosting a dinner party or need dinner on a hectic workday, there are plenty of options from appetizers to desserts at local takeout and pre-order businesses. Casseroles ready to bake, side dishes, salads with homemade dressings, scrumptious party fare and yummy desserts, along with other choices, are available with a phone call or a quick stop at a specialty takeout shop.
The Cup and Saucer
Since 2004, Lisa French has been sharing her passion for food by providing meals and catering to individuals and businesses in the Auburn and Opelika area. Apprentice-trained at a culinary school five-star resort, this busy mom of triplets prepares her culinary creations in the kitchen at her Cup and Saucer business.
The business offers a variety of homemade meals for families, businesses and special events. Monthly dinner entrees, along with heat and serve casseroles, provide healthy and nutritious meals that can be cooked or reheated in 30 minutes or less. Sides, salads and other dishes round out the menu options, or a catering menu can be customized.
Weekly selections are available in the refrigerator and freezer case. Freezers are stocked with casserole-style entrees, breakfast casseroles, appetizers and desserts in assorted sizes.
Take and bake entrees include Pretzel Pork Chops, Brown Sugar Meatloaf and Artichoke Chicken, while appetizers feature Ham and Swiss Minis or Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites, among others. She also keeps a selection of soups, dips and spreads, along with other dishes, in the refrigerator case. Freshly baked bread is also available. Along with a wide variety of freshly prepared and frozen foods ready to pick up at the last minute, full-service catering is available.
The Cup and Saucer is located at 555 Opelika Road, Auburn. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Visit the website for each week’s specials at thecupsandsaucer.biz or call 334.209.4558.
Gourmet Tiger
Tantalizing aromas of roasting turkey mingling with baking hams drift into the dining area at the Gourmet Tiger in Auburn, a bakery café offering frozen casseroles, appetizers, side dishes and desserts. Special cakes and cheesecakes can also be ordered.
Owners Leigh Ann and Greg Thompson expanded the menu and catering started by the previous owners. Everything on the menu is made from scratch. Turkey and ham sandwiches are made with freshly roasted turkey and baked ham. Pimento cheese and chicken salad are available in sandwiches or by the pint or half pint.
The frozen casseroles are popular with working mothers, students and seniors who don’t have time to cook a hot meal. Casseroles include Chicken Tetrazzini, Poppy Seed Chicken, Chicken and Broccoli Divan, among others. The classic chicken casseroles are prepared with hormone free, all white meat.
The dessert case is filled with cookie bars in assorted cake and cookie flavors. These can also be ordered as “bites” in small squares for parties. Their signature cakes have been popular for birthdays, parties and various events. “We focus on the ingredients in our cakes,” says Greg. “People tell us our cakes are moist. We want to have an awesome tasting cake. Cakes are made from scratch.”
Party foods for takeout include spinach dip, black-eyed pea salsa, hummus, jalapeno corn dip, bacon cheese ball, frozen sausage ball and other spreads. They will also bake the dips and casseroles to pick up.
Gourmet Tiger is located at 231 N. Dean Road, Suite 2 and is open 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday. For further information call 334.821.9222 or visit the website at www.gourmettiger.com.
Yum Yum’s
After being the owner of Bottcher’s Grill for 15 years, Tod Bottcher became tired of the restaurant business, as he was only seeing his wife, Linda, when he was going out the door.
After talking with Linda on what to do next, he opened Yum Yum’s, a pre-order shop, in December 2014. The business is open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., unless they have a catering event.
“I describe this business as self catering,” says Bottcher. “You cater yourself by calling in your order by 10 a.m., and it is ready to pick up at 3:30 in the afternoon.”
The business has a drive through window, which makes it convenient for picking up orders. Among the most popular items are Chicken Divan and Seafood and Sausage Gumbo. Bottcher uses local Capps’ sausage. He is now offering a gumbo base that allows customers to take the base home and design their own gumbo by adding the meats of their choice.
Other entrees include Lasagna, Chicken Pot Pie and Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, among others. Along with entrees, side dishes are available with salads combined with freshly made dressings. He also offers desserts, including Death by Chocolate, an apple cake, pumpkin roll and peanut butter filled brownies. Bottcher will also prepare a customer’s recipe for them.
Yum Yum’s is a family business. His daughter, Rachel Jones, also works at the business to assist customers. Along with the Auburn location, they also have a location at Lake Martin at Lakeside Mercantile, an antique shop that sells Yum Yum’s products from a freezer.
Yum Yum’s is located at 555 Opelika Rd. # 7, Auburn. Call 334.209.2011 or visit yumyumstogo.com
Gourmet To Go
Gourmet To Go is an online dinner ordering system for meals prepared and ready for pick up or delivered to your home. “Meals need to be pre- ordered from the website the week before for all hot meals,” says Chef Christine Healey, “and then we have an everyday menu which has quiches, casseroles, soups and desserts and more that can be added to your hot meal, or you can just order them.” The service is offered Monday through Thursday. “The idea is like Blue Apron,” says Healey, “but we do all the cooking for you. Menus are posted for at least a month on the site or more so you can select in advance.”
The business also does catering on and off site. “I changed the shop into a venue,” adds the chef, “so we can host events up to 60 people seated and 80 people reception- style. I am working on expanding the space to include our outdoor patio area and parking lot area for special events.”
The business is in the process of acquiring a full liquor license in addition to their beer and wine license. The business currently has a full online wine store on both the Gourmet To Go and Christine’s websites. “We do have people pick up steaks from us when they have ordered from the shop,” says Chef Healey, “but it is not open just for everyday pick up. Everything is pre-ordered, and pick times are arranged.”
Gourmet To Go is located at 2272 Moores Mill RD Suite 208, Auburn. Call 334-750-4963 or visit websites www.christinesunlimited.com or www.g2gdelivery.com
