Today we’d like to introduce you to Silvana Wallinger Pete Morales.
Hi Silvana Wallinger, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Cowamel’s journey begins in the heart of Buenos Aires, Argentina—My (silvana) hometown—where dulce de leche isn’t just a treat, it’s a way of life. Growing up, a jar was always on the table, ready to spread over morning toast or warm pastries. But after moving to South Florida, I struggled to find the rich, creamy dulce de leche I grew up with. What I found instead overly processed, mass-produced versions filled with chemicals and additives—nothing like the real thing from back home.
Meanwhile, my husband Pete was growing up in Seattle area, where artisan foods are a part of the city’s soul. He later moved to Miami, went to culinary school, and became a chef. That is where we met. His culinary path led him to work alongside award-winning chefs and restaurants, eventually landing a dream job cooking for race car drivers and their crews in a NASCAR division. But when COVID-19 hit, that opportunity disappeared. The tracks removed the third party catering from the racetracks which forced him to look for new ways to express his talent and expertise.
Right before the pandemic we traveled to Argentina and visited shops and restaurants that offered dulce de leche, but most of the products were filled additives and preservatives. That’s when my husband Pete, with his chef’s background said, “We can make this—but better!.”
When we returned from South America, the pandemic hit, the catering job was dissolved. So, we decieded to start Cowamel. You could say, we sort of emerged from the ashes of the pandemic.
We started by creating our original sea salt dulce de leche as our main flavor. It became our biggest seller. Pete wanted to create unique flavors nobody has ever seen before. He created coconut Rum, coffee, strawberry cream and many many others. We have over 40 flavors we created over the years. We rotate a few flavors a month and within deifferent seasons, to keep everyone curious about what we are doing next.
We started with our first farmers market in Maitland and soon got accepted to Celebration, Winter Garden, then Lakeland Farmers Market. We are also part of the big events around Orlando throughout the year. We also sell and ship all over the US through our online store.
The latest news is that Cowamel is going on the road this summer. We will be tour of a few of Americas best fairs. You will find us at the Ohio State Fair, The Big “E” in Massachussets, The Georgia National Fair, and possibly a few more. The herd is hitting the road!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We are still learning every week. Markets can be very unpridictable and inconsistent. There can be bad weather, the wrong clientel, bad attendance, there are so many factors. So, it can be a roll of the dice in some ways.
One of our biggest challenges with Cowamel, is introducing people to what dulce de leche really is. To many in the U.S., it can seem like an unfamiliar or foreign product, but the moment they taste it, it often brings back memories of the caramel they’ve always known and loved. Most Americans haven’t seen this creamy, rich version of caramel before. Instead, they think of the sticky caramel cubes that stuck to their teeth (or braces) or they think it’s the watery caramel sauce they use to pour over ice cream. That’s why we always offer samples—so people can experience a new twist on something delightfully familiar. Once they give us a chance and they try our dulce de leche they love it and keep coming back for more time and time again!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Silvana
When I’m not busy with Cowamel, I wear another hat—as a Travel Advisor, or as I prefer to call it, a Travel Coordinator. I specialize in creating custom journeys tailored to each client’s unique travel style and dreams. My husband and I have been fortunate to travel to many incredible places around the world, and that experience fuels my passion for helping others make unforgettable memories of their own.
I’m deeply proud of the work I do and always excited for the next adventure. What truly sets me apart is my outlook on life—I’m an incurable optimist who genuinely loves helping people. There’s nothing more rewarding to me than seeing others happy… it’s what makes me happiest of all!
Pete
I have been in the culinary field for over 20 years. I attended and graduated from Johnson and Wales-North Miami, Summa Cum Laude. I worked with many award winning chefs and restaraunts over the years, and I am lucky enough to have worked with some amazing teams and kitchens throughout my career. I have been through the grind of every position in the kitchen and went from unpaid intern to Executive Chef over the years.
After all those experiences in the kitchen I feel like I have a great appreciation for high quality and simplicity. I think we have created that with Cowamel., I feel we have a unique product that is both high quality and from humble beginings.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to us is seeing Cowamel grow. We’ve poured (pun intended) our hearts out creating our caramel and sharing our product with as many people as possible through farmers markets and events. It make us happy to show people something new and turn them on to something they never had before. We enjoy watching their eyes light up with excitement and surprise. We have so many exciting ideas for Cowamel’s future, and we can’t wait to share them with everyone! We work hard to create unique, seasonal flavors that keep our customers coming back for more.
It is also very important for us to work for ourselves. Creating something of our own has been the most rewarding part of this business. Its not easy, ever, but worth the struggle because it is ours to do whatever we want with.
Pricing:
- 4 OZ jar = $8 – $12
- 8 OZ jar = $13 – $18
- 16 OZ Jar = $20-$30
- gift box of 4 flavors $30 – $45
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cowamel.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cowamelddl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cowamelddl
