HOPETOUN has gone into an Italian frenzy.
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Couple Melissa McFarlane and Dorian Doti have recently opened up a fresh produce pasta and gelato shop named Wheat Milk Sugar.
It is the mission of Wheat Milk Sugar to manufacture fresh pasta and gelato by highly skilled staff who provide unsurpassable service.
The store has been in instant success in the township filling a niche but growing market for produce.
Mr Doti, originally from Melbourne, also lived in Italy for seven years.
He and his partner had been brainstorming what type of business to open.
“There was six months planning before we finally had the business organised,” Mr Doti said.
“There was a lot of trial and error on how to make the produce perfect for our customers.
“We ended up steering clear of eggs and instead make our pasta with hard wheat semolina and water,” he said.
“Simple is not always easy because you need to get measurements exactly right.”
The shop makes freshly made pasta and gelato everyday –preparing the produce from fresh ingredients in the morning and then opening at noon.
The couple walk to work everyday and Mr Doti said Hopetoun was an ideal destination.
“I was chasing the sun and wanted to live in a Victorian country town,” he said.
“It is the ideal climate.”
Wheat Milk Sugar stays open until 6pm to give people who finish work later in the day an opportunity to get fresh pasta for dinner that night.
The Italian style pasta shop has been extremely well received by residents.
Mr Doti said fresh sauces were made to accompany the pasta.
“We have pesto, a variety of olive oil combinations, bocconcini mushrooms among others,” he said.
“We also have a provedore in the store,”
Wheat Milk Sugar purchase all Australian produce, with the oranges to make flavoured sorbet farmed in Hopetoun.
Transparency is the centre of what the Italian style shop do.
The equipment is set out on display so that everyone can watch as the experts do their work.
It is early days for the business but that hasn’t stopped the proprietors from looking into the big picture.
Mr Doti said they have only been open for eight weeks but have teased thoughts over the table.
“We have thought about differentiating a bit but their is definitely nothing in concrete,” he said.
“We want to achieve a comfortable work life balance.”
Ms McFarlane was originally from Horsham and the two met crossing paths in a library.
Wheat Milk Sugar has had all kinds of customers, Mr Doti said.
“A lot of tourists seem to stop by our shop,” he said.
“The campers that stay at the lakes often come here to get our family-sized lasagna and then cook it for dinner,”
Pasta is also affordable with 750 grams of fresh pasta being only five dollars.
Wheat Milk Sugar is located on Lascelles St, Hopetoun, and has a Facebook page for pasta lovers to keep up to date.