November 5th, 2025Italian food about simplicity & a little love
Daniela Palumbo, who runs publicity for the Clunes Farmers & Makers Market, also helps her mum Yolanda Palumbo in her Italian baking business, one of the stallholders at the market. Daniela said her mother was born in Italy and came to Australia when she was four. She was a hairdresser by trade but was always passionate about baking. Daniela was born in Australia and was a laboratory technician. She chatted with Donna Kelly about Yolanda’s Homemade Cakes and Biscuits.
Donna: So, how did the baking business start?
Daniela: My mum has baked my entire life so when she retired, it was a way to keep her active; markets add a social aspect too. When it all got a little bigger than anticipated I jumped on board to lend a hand.
Donna: How long do you take to get ready for a market – must be a hard push?
Daniela: We take our time baking and bake the entire month. We want our products to be at their freshest when people buy them, so small batches and frequently. The week leading up can get chaotic, especially if we have a special order thrown into the mix.
Donna: Do you get a lot of Italian clients or is everyone keen?
Daniela: Our clientele is diverse, we have many who come because it reminds them of their childhood, many who have travelled to Italy and reminisce about their trip, many who just love Italian desserts and quite a few who have dietary intolerances and are happy to have found something they can indulge in that suits their requirements and is full of flavour.
Donna: What is yours and your mum’s favourite – if you have one?
Daniela: We still love the cannoli, light lemon and real chocolate-flavoured custard in a crispy shell. We fill them fresh at the market so the custard stays fresh and the shells stay crisp. We usually sell out of them at every market, so a big seller.
Donna: What is your best seller?
Daniela: In terms of biscuits, in the traditional range, crostoli. They’re a sweet citrus pasta-type dough that is fried and sprinkled with sugar. In the gluten-free range; brutti ma buoni, a light, crispy, outer meringue and slightly chewy in the centre made with roasted almond pieces. In the vegan range, d’acero e mandorle, the texture of an Anzac biscuit but made with tiny roasted almond pieces, maple syrup and vanilla bean, no refined sugars so a good option for the health-conscious, and in the not-so-traditional Italian range, definitely the tessori. Think shortbread with crushed, freeze- dried strawberry, drizzled with vanilla icing – that is also vegan.
Donna: Do you sell anywhere else apart from Clunes?
Daniela: We attend the Talbot Farmers Market and The Clunes Greengrocer also stocks our product. We supply a few things to Cafe 52 in Clunes, The Salty Sparrow in Ballarat, and Just Planet Coffee Roastary in Sunbury and Collins Street, Melbourne. We also do the odd one-off festival or market.
Donna: Why did you get so involved with the Clunes Market?
Daniela: We live in Clunes and so it just made sense to support the local market, in turn the locals also support us.
Donna: What does Christmas look like for your family – must be some great food involved?
Daniela: When you think of an Italian family you think huge, but we’re small. Christmas is a time for us to get together, catch up, unwind and relax. The food is amazing and there’s always too much. When I was younger most of what we sell at the market was made for special occasions only, so you knew it was a time for celebration when the baking began. For this reason there are a few things we have kept from the market, just for ourselves and to keep celebrations special.
Donna: If people want to start trying to make some Italian dishes what should they start with – or just stick to buying from you?
Daniela: Italian food is about simplicity, don’t overcomplicate it. A few quality ingredients and time. If you’re keen to try something it really is just about the basics and as clichéd as it sounds, a little bit of love really does make a difference.
Donna: Finally, would you like to add anything else?
Daniela: See everyone at the Clunes Farmers & Makers Market on November 9.
