Returning from Ireland at the start of the lockdown, Filipino-American cinematographer/photographer Michael “Mikey” Williams II was chucked out of his rented flat in California. The roommates’ reason: He had arrived from Europe, the COVID-19 hotspot.
When he went to stay with his widowed Filipino mother in Indianapolis, Indiana, he started baking cookies to cope with loss of work and to convey his appreciation for the souls who boosted his morale.
Ten months later, last March 10, Indiana’s statewide station, Wish-TV8, featured Williams’ product, Salamat (thank you) Cookies, oatmeal cookies celebrating Filipino and American flavors.
He and his mother, Lourdes “Odie” Arceo-Williams, were interviewed in “The Gr8 Comeback,” an inspirational series about people who rebounded from the pandemic’s impact. They were also featured in NBC News’ digital news platform, Stay Tuned.
From ‘ube’ to ‘buko pandan’
Mikey is the founder of Salamat Cookies Company LLC, while Odie is the lead baker who multitasks as financial officer and chief adviser.
In spring last year, he started sending oatmeal cookies as presents. The first recipient, a former colleague in a US-based Filipino company, got them for her birthday. Mikey likewise gifted his personal trainer/biomechanics coach and the staff of a chiropractic clinic.
“I couldn’t pay for services because I didn’t have any income. I compensated with cookies just to say thank you. Salamat,” he recalled in an interview via Messenger.
One day, a staffer at the clinic liked the uniqueness of his experiment, oatmeal cookies with dried mangoes. Asked if he sold them, Mikey immediately replied yes.
He and his mother set a goal to sell their first large batch of 300 cookies for Mother’s Day so that he could pay his share of the rent for his erstwhile home in Los Angeles, California.
Mikey and Odie created new variants—blueberry, cranberry and white chocolate. A Fil-Am customer noted that the cookies evoked the colors of the Philippine flag.
“We now have a Philippine flag pack of these different flavors,” said Odie. They started expanding the offerings based on customer feedback.
The top seller is Gooey Bukubae, a triple whammy of ube halaya, ube powder and ube extract with macapuno and toasted coconut. Non-Filipinos were attracted to the color and ordered it even if they can’t pronounce the cookie’s name.
Whoa Philippine Mango is the second most popular, followed by the more familiar Salted Chocolate Chip Pecan. The latest addition and instant hit is the Buco Pan-dayaumm, a pun on how Americans draw out the word “damn.” This variation is a load of macapuno, toasted coconut, white chocolate, buko pandan and finished with nata de coco.
“We put a spin on the names to make them more fun,” said Mikey, adding that the cookies are a tastier way to introduce Philippine flavors instead of dinuguan and balut.
Cookie-grams
Then there’s the Dark Chocolate Chip Chilé Mango, a medley of Belgian chocolate morsels, Philippine mango chews and a zest of cayenne pepper. What’s A Turon cookie replicates the flavors and texture of the fried banana rolls. It consists of hand-cut fried plantains, jackfruit, white chocolate, dried banana chips for crunch and caramel drizzle.
Salamat Cookies also offers seasonal flavors that acknowledge American traditions. An homage to summer, Huckle My Bacon was infused with huckleberries from Idaho and bacon. To commemorate Halloween, the company came out with Caramel Apple Popcorn in October.
Thanksgiving in November had Pumpkin Spice Sweet Potato Praline. The Christmas colors of red and green came out in the Merry Cherry Pistachio. The Valentine cookie was made with freeze-dried strawberries, a contrast of white and dark chocolate and walnuts. The cookies are gluten-free and the fruit-filled cookies are likewise vegan.
The family business includes Mikey’s sister, Melissa, who handles the administration, and his uncle, Philip Arceo, who assists. Cookie production has recently moved out of the house to a commercial kitchen.
These cookies have been shipped to 36 states and Canada, Morocco, India and Kuwait, said Mikey. A dentist ordered 92 dozen cookies to say “thank you” to patients and friends. A mother ordered six dozens for her son’s troop in Kuwait. Customers order Salamat’s “cookie-grams” as expressions of gratitude.
“We want to spread ‘Salamat,’” said Mikey. “People say thank you across the world.”
The 32-year-old baker/entrepreneur has a social conscience as well. Salamat Cookies is tithing 10 percent of its production to charity.
“Our mission is to bring people together—one cookie at a time. It helps to close the gap during COVID when people can’t physically connect with each other,” he said. —CONTRIBUTED
Follow @salamatcookies on Facebook and Instagram; salamatcookies.com
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