About

Hey you! WELCOME!

I’m Estee, the writer and creator behind Soul and Streusel.

I live in the beautiful countryside of Israel with my husband and a couple of small (and crazy!) offspring. I work by night as a Sushi Chef, and whenever I can, I spend time here- my favourite space to share fun and fresh recipes with you!!

When I first moved to the Middle East (from the small island of Kauai), I didn’t know what hit me. The food was unlike anything I’d ever tasted- spicy, exciting, different, and so CREATIVE. I remember balking the first time I was handed a street pita- filled with hummus, eggplant, techina, chopped veggies, meat, and “chips”. A crazy combination, but somehow it worked, and I was hooked!

I enlisted the help of my -then-Moroccan landlady, a woman who emigrated to Israel 50 years ago from Casablanca, to teach me how to cook with Israeli spices and fresh local produce. And she did.

The food coming from our kitchen was so good, we couldn’t not share!

In this space you’ll find time-tested recipes for an array of Middle Eastern foods, and of course my Hawaiian favourites, something to remind me of the shores and home.

I’m sure you’ll find something here to love, so have a look around and enjoy!!

xoxo, Estee

My Story

Find a seat, grab a cup of coffee, and get to know me!

I was raised on the island of Kauai, Hawaii….

My childhood mornings began on the beach with big papayas and fresh-picked Jamaican lilikoi . Lunch was often an ahi poke bowl on the beach. Snacks were green coconuts we husked ourselves sitting at a rock in the afternoon sun. (on occasion!!! sometimes it was just pop tarts 😉

When I turned 18, I decided on a move that took me halfway across the world, and landed me smack in the middle of ….the Middle East. Cue beautiful Israeli soldiers, shwarma platters, and Tel Aviv. I was suddenly surrounded by fresh pitas, eggplant cooked in ways I never imagined, and chummus everywhere. Like- everywhere.

Veering from my original plan of “learning about my history” and then moving on to see family in Spain, I ended up attending a girls school and falling head over heels with Judaism, and the religious, and kosher, life. At the same time, I also managed to fall in love with my house moms handsome younger brother- a man I now call my best friend and husband. We got married as soon as he finished his army service in the IDF. I was 21. We honeymooned in Greece, had a couple kids, and moved out to the country.

Before starting this blog, I was working as a chef in Israels top kosher Thai restaurant, testing spicy chillies and eating way too much green curry. That’s where I found my love to cook.

I grew up baking- learning from lovely Kauai women as a teen and following that passion in Israel. I’ve held the position as head baker in some great bakeries across the Jerusalem area, and served in the Israeli Air Force for six months as a baker(I know- I too was surprised that such a position even existed!).

Since branching out into the world of real food- not just pastries and treats, I have found a love for, well, everything. World cuisine has so much to offer, so many combinations of spices, customs, ingredients, and techniques. I love finding those new favorites you don’t know how you were living without, and learning the secrets to recreating them in my own home.

This is where I get to share all those recipes with you!!!

This blog is my journey- not just through food but through experience. Living abroad and learning to cook, finding my Soul, raising children, and all the ups and downs in between.

My hope is to…
. inspire you to cook!
.get out of your comfort zone and try something new.
. fall in love with a new kind of food.
.make something you can carry to the table and get an OOOOOHWEEE! reaction.
.find your new favourite recipe.

If you want to say hello, leave a comment, or come and find me on social @estee_bestie

happy cooking! <3