♪ ♪ >> MARIA LOI: I am Maria Loi, executive chef of Loi Estiatorio in Manhattan.

When I was growing up in Thermo, a small village in Greece, food was a way of life.

Good for your body, good for your soul.

The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world, and I have seen how it can truly change people's lives like it changed mine.

And since then, my life has been all about the Mediterranean diet.

Today, we are going to share some of the delicious secrets that you can make part of your own lives at home.

So, come with me right now, on The Life of Loi.

♪ ♪ >> Funding for this program is provided by the Behrakis Family.

Additional funding is provided by the Greek National Tourism Organisation.

>> LOI: I am going to teach you the Greek breakfast, tasty, healthy, easy.

Wake up and come and see.

It is important to take time to enjoy breakfast like I do.

These are my new takes on traditional Greek dishes for an easy breakfast on the go or, better yet, enjoy them the Greek way with a cup of Greek coffee.

>> Mmm, so good.

>> LOI: This breakfast made my friend, Deborah Grausman, sing with joy.

>> ♪ I love baklava!

♪ (laughs) >> That's a Greek scrambled eggs.

>> LOI: These are the tasty scrambled eggs.

>> Wow.

(sputtering) LOI: From the traditional style of kayana in Naxos, to my modern take in New York... >> That looks delicious.

(Loi laughs) >> LOI: I surprised my friend, Dr. Orlando Gonzalez, by adding jalapeños and pecans from his mother's farm.

Yassou, yassou.

(silverware clinking) Follow along and get spicy with us.

>> Oh, boy.

>> LOI: Mm?

>> This is delicious.

>> LOI: Breakfast the Greek way, try it.

It's relaxing.

Pame.

♪ ♪ >> LOI: I am on the edge of the town Agios Nikolaos.

And even though it's almost October here, the summer lives on.

How could I not enjoy my breakfast next to the calm sea?

I have a nutritious and delicious spread here that will give me the energy I need for a fantastic day.

Aromatic Greek coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, my favorite fruits, and some Cretan kalitsounia-- small pies made with flour, sugar, eggs, Anthotyro cheese and, of course, honey.

I could stay like this forever, but but I want to show you the most iconic way Greeks start their day.

So, let's go to Athens.

Let's dive into the Greek coffee culture.

(clattering) I head to the one and only Kafekopteia Loumidis, Loumidi's Coffee Shop, an Athens institution, to meet up with my friend, Jason, a third-generation proprietor and a coffee connoisseur.

Like olive oil runs in my veins, coffee runs in his.

His family has been running this business for over a hundred years.

Here, you can experience the tradition of their amazing coffee.

First, the coffee beans are finely ground.

Then, a spoonful is added to a small pot of cold water, gently heated in a burner filled with sand.

It's an ancient method still practiced here today.

Once it starts to bubble, it's ready.

I love this coffee served with honey cookies or other traditional sweets.

Made with-- (chuckles) what else?-- but olive oil.

(laughs) Of course.

For me, it's the best way to start my day: with a cup of Greek coffee, elliniko kafe.

I love it.

♪ ♪ I have a small surprise for you today to make a different baklava, and a big surprise here.

I have my friend, of course-- (laughter) Deborah Grausman.

>> I'm so excited to be here.

Thanks so much for having me.

>> LOI: She eats baklava all the time here, and she wants to know how to make it.

>> It's amazing, I can't believe I'm actually here, learning how to make what I love eating.

LOI: So, Deborah-- >> Yes.

>> LOI: Walnuts?

>> Okay.

♪ ♪ LOI: We just add a bit-- >> Sugar?

>> LOI: Of sugar.

>> LOI: Okay, not too much... Because, you know me.

>> Okay.

Of course.

>> LOI: I don't like so much sugar.

>> What is that?

LOI: Clove.

>> Clove.

>> LOI: And cinnamon.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: You add it in here.

And some water.

Isn't it beautiful?

>> It is.

LOI: And black honey.

This honey comes up from the mountains, and it's very difficult to harvest.

That's why you cannot have it every year.

We harvest this honey every two years.

We don't add a lot of sugar or a lot of honey because we will have syrup.

Tradition-- has to go together with my traditional wooden spoon... >> Yes.

>> LOI: From my grandma.

>> This was your grandmother's?

LOI: Yeah.

>> Oh, wow.

LOI: I have my mom's as well.

>> That's amazing that you have that.

>> LOI: Smell.

>> (sighs) Oh.

LOI: Isn't it great?

>> Heavenly.

(laughs) It smells so good.

So when do I get to eat it?

(Loi laughs) I have to wait?

LOI: Wait.

(both laugh) Actually, this one, we have to put it in the refrigerator overnight.

So, I will give that back to Felipe, okay.

And here... Hello!

- (gasps) >> LOI: I have my filo here.

The filo, we'll cut it in half.

You take half, and then, the olive oil.

>> Of course, olive oil.

Everything.

LOI: You love olive oil.

>> It's the best.

Okay.

LOI: Like that.

Yeah, see?

>> Okay.

LOI: And then... All the way.

Bravo.

>> Okay, now, I turn at this direction-- LOI: Yes, bravo.

>> To match yours?

>> LOI: And now, we'll just take this, and you go like that...

Here.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: If you see how easy it is, then you're going to make it all the time.

>> I'm going to make it at home.

>> LOI (laughs): Yes.

LOI: So, you take one, turn this.

Go and turn like that.

Yeah... go like this.

How's that?

>> I mean, pretty easy.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> I haven't finished mine yet.

I'm not-- I'm not so speedy.

LOI: It's okay.

>> Okay, there we go.

Do I have to squeeze it now?

LOI: Yeah, squeeze it-- >> Okay.

>> LOI: And then, you move it here.

See?

>> Yes.

LOI: And you remove this here.

>> (gasps) Wow.

LOI: It's like a breadstick, right?

>> Oh, my gosh, I'm so excited.

LOI: Here's a magic.

Actually, you made it better than mine.

>> (laughs) Can I put it on the tray?

LOI: You can put it like this.

Put in next to it.

>> Now, we bake them?

LOI: Yeah.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: Just give it to Felipe.

>> Okay, so what temperature... And how-- how long?

LOI (whispers): She's good.

>> (laughs) >> LOI: It might take seven minutes or ten minutes in the oven.

>> Okay.

Okay.

>> LOI: Okay-- 350.

But I think Felipe has it ready.

Felipe, do you have ready the baklava?

>> Yes, chef.

LOI: Please give it to me.

>> Okay.

Ooh!

LOI: Felipe makes it double like me, (crunching) but always, we can break it, like that.

Mmm, take this.

>> Okay.

Mmm.

The best.

LOI: And let's put some syrup-- >> Okay.

So what kind of syrup do you put on?

LOI: It's a simple syrup, it's honey and cinnamon.

>> Is that orange peel?

>> LOI: Yeah.

You can add some-- a bit of vanilla.

Let's leave this over there.

Okay.

Do you like savory and sweet?

>> Yeah.

>> LOI: Okay.

Let's do the same thing.

>> Of course, olive oil.

>> LOI: So, you see, this is the talagani cheese.

>> Ooh.

>> LOI: It's sheep and goat.

>> Oh!

>> LOI: You can shred it.

>> Oh, that's the same cheese.

LOI: Yeah.

>> Now you put the cheese-- LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> This is-- this is like a cheese stick.

LOI: Do it yourself.

>> Okay.

All right, okay.

>> LOI: Put cheese.

>> Oops, I just made a mess.

>> LOI: No, there's not a mess.

It's exactly how you should make it.

Okay.

Here you are.

>> Honey, yes!

Honey and cheese, I'm in for it.

LOI: Here... (singing) >> Yes... (Loi singing) Oh my God.

LOI: And then, you go again.

>> With your stick?

Okay.

>> LOI: Here.

>> Roll it?

LOI: Go.

>> Okay, okay.

LOI: You go, girl.

>> All right.

It's got a lot of cheese in it.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> So it's going to be big.

Okay, and then, we do the same scrunching method?

>> LOI: Yeah, that's it.

>> Now, I take the stick out?

>> LOI: Thank you, Felipe.

He is the one and only, right?

>> Yes.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> I love Felipe.

Okay, stick out or stick in?

>> LOI: And over here.

Here.

>> Okay, you did-- (gasps) LOI: And then, he has to cook it.

>> Felipe...

If you please.

>> I got it.

>> (laughs) Thanks.

>> LOI: So, we're not going to have filo here anymore.

Okay, while we're waiting.

>> Done with the filo.

>> LOI: Do you want me to show how you make a Greek coffee, and then we'll eat everything together with that?

>> Yes, absolutely.

>> LOI: Okay.

Excellent.

>> So, it has to boil?

>> LOI: Yeah.

Just a touch.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: The secret of the Greek coffee is to stir it.

(scraping) >> So, how much did you put in?

You put it in like a heaping-- >> LOI: Teaspoon.

>> A heaping teaspoon?

>> LOI: Yeah, yeah.

>> And then, you just do it with water or do you add milk too?

>> LOI: Yeah, just water.

>> Just water.

>> LOI: And you have to leave it to boil slowly.

It's so cute, huh?

>> It's really cute.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> I see steam.

LOI: Yes, see?

>> Okay, that was fast.

>> LOI: That's enough.

>> (gasps) A perfect cup of coffee.

Oh, my goodness.

>> LOI: Because it's hot.

I don't think-- >> Yeah, yeah, we'll let it cool for a minute.

All right, so I'm ready to taste the baklava.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> Can we get to that?

>> LOI: You need a plate or eat from here?

>> I, I mean, however you do it.

Do you cut it-- do you just pick it up?

I mean... okay, you cut it, all right.

Here we go.

♪ ♪ Mm...

Delicious.

Mmm, so good.

>> LOI: Good!

It's ready.

>> Okay.

>> LOI: Put it here.

>> Careful, it's hot.

>> Okay, hot.

>> Thank you.

>> LOI: So nice, huh?

>> (gasps) >> LOI: You know what?

>> Listen to that crisp-- >> LOI: You want this to go?

>> It's the best.

>> Yeah, can you wrap it up to go?

LOI: That's it.

>> Okay.

♪ ♪ >> LOI: How do you sing-- the baklava, I liked it?

>> ♪ I love baklava!

♪ (laughs) (both laughing) >> LOI: I love you.

>> I love you too.

>> LOI: Thank you.

>> Thanks for having me.

This is super fun.

Oh, I have to taste the coffee!

Okay.

♪ ♪ Mmm, delicious.

>> LOI: It is, huh?

>> Yeah.

Cheers.

>> LOI: From now on, you have Greek coffee.

>> Can't go back now.

(laughs) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> LOI: I am here in Naxos Island in the middle of the Aegean in the Cyclades.

♪ ♪ (rooter crows) (horse nickers) (geese honk quietly) (goats and sheep bleat) (rooster crows) (Loi imitates rooster) (laughs) >> I think he's in charge.

>> LOI: Come over here.

>> Join the party.

(chickens clucking) >> LOI: One, two, three, four... five?

>> Five, six, seven.

>> LOI: Seven-- seven roosters.

(rooster crows) How can they have seven roosters?

In my village, we had only one.

When I was a kid, I had a friend, and I called her "Kota Kota."

She was always after me.

Yeah.

>> She loved you.

>> LOI: She loved me, and I loved her.

And this chicken here, they eat organic.

>> Happy and healthy.

>> LOI: Do you like this kotetsi?

>> I love it.

>> LOI: How you call kotetsi in English, Chris?

>> Chicken coop.

>> LOI: Chicken coop?

>> Coop.

>> LOI: Okay, I like it chicken house.

(rooster crows) Let's see if they have any eggs.

Ko, ko, ko, ko, ko?

Kota, kota, kota, kota?

(chicken squawks) (both laugh) That means, you know, like when she go-- Oh-oh-oh-oh!

Ko, ko, ko, ko!

That means that I have eggs for you.

I have eggs for you.

>> Here, let me open the door for you, Maria.

>> LOI: Oh, you're a gentleman in front of the chicken house.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: I will go in, okay?

>> Okay.

>> LOI: Because I know kota kota.

Yassou, kota kota.

(chickens squawk) Kota kota is here.

She's so beautiful.

>> She recognizes you.

>> LOI: I see that they have some eggs.

Where can I put it?

(chickens squawking) Here.

♪ ♪ (chickens squawking) I used to do when I was a kid.

Oops.

I am going to cook breakfast with Ioannis Margaritis, the governor of Naxos.

Ioannis is helping me to create avgá with tomatoes, eggs with tomatoes.

We have cheese here, and we'll go through cheese after right?

Because I want to learn everything.

>> Look, the best idea-- >> LOI: Yeah?

>> To start with a nice bite of cheese-- it's morning, let's eat something-- and continue to the recipe.

Nothing compares to our Naxian graviera cheese and our kefalotyri.

In this island, you can find 120,000 goats and 7,000 cows, so we're very famous about our cheese.

>> LOI: What kind of cheese is that?

>> This is kefalotyri.

Try, enjoy.

Good morning.

>> LOI: Efcharistó.

Thank you.

Yeah, good morning.

Good morning, all.

>> You can see the crystals?

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> And feel them?

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> Our animals are eating only herbs: thyme, rosemary-- only those.

>> LOI: I'm speechless.

Now, what do you need?

>> You're the specialist of the tomatoes.

(Loi laughs) You have to cut in small, small pieces of tomatoes all over the pan.

>> LOI: Okay, Ioanni.

♪ ♪ (sizzling) You want to help me?

>> Let me help you.

♪ ♪ (sizzling) >> LOI: That's it.

♪ ♪ (sizzling) And now... We'll add some olive oil.

>> That's a treasure.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (sizzling) >> LOI: Salt.

>> I think we had to put the salt a little bit later.

Not in the beginning.

>> LOI: No.

When you have tomatoes, you add the salt in the beginning.

So this way, you can get all the water from the tomatoes, and you don't have the water-- >> Ah... >> LOI: In the sauce after that.

>> That's clever.

(sizzling loudly) >> LOI: Until the tomatoes become like sauce, why don't we try another cheese?

>> We'll have xynotyro.

>> LOI: It's hard.

>> Yeah, yeah, this is a good one.

>> LOI: Xyno.

>> Mmm.

>> LOI: Xynotyro, is very rare to find it unless you come to Naxos.

>> Now... 80% cow.

Graviera.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> This is proper graviera cheese.

Please, be my guest.

>> LOI: Oh!

Okay.

Oh, this is softer.

>> Yeah.

This is fresh graviera, it's only one year old.

♪ ♪ (Loi gasps) >> LOI: It's full of flavor.

Yassou.

(laughs) I think it's one of my best days ever.

(sizzling) I will add a bit of olive oil.

♪ ♪ How about garlic?

Do you put garlic?

>> Always.

>> LOI: When the garlic is like this from the garden, I just cut it in half and I add it in there.

(crackles) ♪ ♪ (sizzles loudly) And you get the garlicky taste, but not too much.

And I will tell you another secret, Ioanni.

When you see bubbles in here-- >> Yeah.

>> LOI: Now the tomato sauce is ready and we can break the eggs in there.

(cracks) Oh, amazing.

♪ ♪ (grinding pepper) ♪ ♪ >> That's the Greek scrambled eggs.

>> LOI: But these are the tasty scrambled eggs.

>> Wow.

♪ ♪ >> LOI: I'm going to add some feta cheese.

You can add any cheese you like.

♪ ♪ But this is soft and so good.

>> I think we missed oregano, huh?

♪ ♪ (Loi sniffs deeply) >> LOI: Oh, oh... Oh...

The aroma.

I want a bit here, too.

You know what...

Turn off the fire.

And... One more thing, I love olive oil.

♪ ♪ Cheers-- yassou.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> LOI: My pappou-- my grandpa-- was telling me the best meal of the day, it's breakfast.

And that's why when I saw Dr. Gonzalez eating at Loi, I said, "Come here, doctor."

>> Nice to see you.

>> LOI: Nice to see you.

Dr. Gonzalez, he's going to help me to make a dish-- kayana.

You know it because... Where do you come from originally, your family?

>> My ancestry is Mexican, so I think I know what you're going to say.

>> LOI: Huevos rancheros.

>> Huevos rancheros.

>> LOI: With Greek ingredients, but maybe we'll add some Mexico.

>> Mexican twist.

>> LOI: Yeah-- good.

>> Perfect.

Perfect.

>> LOI: So... We'll add onion first.

>> Onions have a lot of antioxidant properties.

>> LOI: Do you know how to cut on the onion like this?

>> Be careful.

But, yes, I do.

>> LOI: Be careful because I'm going to ask you to do that.

>> (laughs) I would.

>> LOI: Okay, here.

>> Okay.

♪ ♪ (chopping) >> LOI: What?

>> I don't know how much you want.

How much should I add?

LOI: Oh, you can add more.

>> More, okay, all right.

>> LOI: That's enough.

(sizzling) So, I like to caramelize the onion first because it brings out the sugar.

>> Great.

>> LOI: Now, it's ready to add the olive oil.

Do you use olive oil now?

>> Yes, we do.

>> LOI: Because you follow the Mediterranean diet.

>> Absolutely.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> The Mediterranean diet is all about olive oil.

Olive oil is full of antioxidants.

(sizzling) That is really true.

It's an anticarcinogenic.

(sizzling) >> LOI: So, let's lower the heat here... And then, I want you to add this tomato sauce...

Slowly.

>> Slowly.

>> LOI: Okay, bravo.

He knows how to cook.

He's not only a good orthopedic doctor.

>> (laughs) >> LOI: That's good.

>> Tomatoes are really good, they have lycopene.

>> LOI: What do you mean lycopene?

>> How do you say it in Greek?

>> LOI: Lykopénio.

>> Lykopénio.

Another antioxidant, vitamin C, vitamin D. It's got manganese.

Lycopene is very good for you.

The prostate, but it's all also good for the hair and for the eyes.

>> LOI: Excellent.

Let's boil this a bit, this sauce.

Okay?

>> That looks delicious.

>> LOI: Now, I will add some feta cheese.

>> Mmm-- you know what they say about feta?

>> LOI: What?

>> Everything is betta with feta.

(Loi laughs) >> LOI: He is copying me.

(both laugh) >> Oh, yeah, that's right.

I think I did hear it from you.

>> LOI: And it has a lot of calcium, no?

>> Absolute-- calcium.

And fermentation is good for your gut biome.

So, it's really, really good for your stomach.

Now, because you added feta, what about salt?

>> LOI: No... >> Right.

You don't add salt-- >> LOI: No.

>> Because the feta is salty in its own?

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

I'm not going to add even pepper because, since you're here, I have-- >> Pepper.

>> LOI: A nice jalapeno.

>> Nice, nice.

>> LOI: I will add it at the end.

>> Yup.

>> LOI: Because I want all the heat.

I love spicy food, I love it.

>> I do too, yeah.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> LOI: Now, it's the right moment to add the eggs.

Eggs.

Here they go.

♪ ♪ One here.

We're going to have-- (cracks) Five eggs.

>> Each egg contains, what, six to seven grams of protein.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> It's got very low calorie, very low fat.

The fat that it does have increases your good cholesterol levels in your body.

>> LOI: So it's good fat.

>> It's actually good fat.

>> LOI: Like the olive oil.

>> Like the olive oil.

>> Most of the protein comes from the whites, but the yolks also have a lot of lutein and zeaxanthin for the eyes.

It's really good for you.

>> LOI: Eggs, people, eggs.

>> Eggs.

>> LOI: So, how many can you eat per week?

>> I like to tell my patients to eat one a day is their recommended daily allowance.

>> LOI: If I have a boiled egg-- >> Yes.

>> LOI: For breakfast, will be good, right?

>> Right, it's good.

LOI: Because...

When I'm going out from the house, I'm going fast.

>> And how easy are they to prepare?

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> They're cheap.

Frying them doesn't change the consistency of the protein, by the way.

People think it does.

It's still the same amount of protein that gets into your body-- whether it's hard boiled or soft boiled or fried.

That looks delicious.

>> LOI: That's it.

Did you think that we could add some-- >> Greens?

LOI: Greens?

But which one?

>> How about we do parsley?

>> LOI: Okay, do parsley.

>> All right.

LOI: A lot of parsley and cilantro here.

>> There you go, perfect.

>> LOI: That's it.

See, I always cut with a scissor because I don't want to cut it on the board.

>> Yes.

>> LOI: See-- >> And yeah, you're smart.

There's your little technique there?

>> LOI: Yeah.

And always I use organic.

>> Everything has to be organic.

In our program, what we do when we evaluate patients, we talk about their pillar of nutrition.

>> LOI: Mm-hmm.

>> And the pillar of nutrition is that, in American culture, nowadays, we eat everything processed and hurried.

When you're eating organic, you are able to extract all of the nutrients perfectly.

>> LOI: Let me serve it, let me serve it.

♪ ♪ This one for you.

>> Perfect.

>> LOI: One for me.

♪ ♪ Wow.

>> Mmm.

♪ ♪ >> What are these?

LOI: Dakos, bread from Crete.

Two of these.

And... Oh, here is some feta for you.

>> Mmm.

>> LOI: Here it comes, and also the white of the egg.

I don't think that you're going to continue with your dinner tonight.

>> No, I think this is... >> LOI: Okay.

I'm done, yes.

(Loi laughs) >> LOI: What about the jalapeño?

>> Want to do a little tribute to the huevos rancheros?

>> LOI: Of course, you know.

>> Let's do the... >> LOI: Here.

>> I can cut these.

>> LOI: Okay.

>> Do you want some jalapeños on yours?

>> LOI: Are you kidding me?

I love jalapeños.

>> Now, look at all those seeds in there.

Do you like seeds?

>> LOI: Yeah.

If you don't add the seeds... Well, there you are.

>> Right.

There's no spice.

>> LOI: Yeah.

>> This is full of capsaicin.

I have to say capsaicin is a natural anticoagulant in the body, has a lot of TPA, tissue plasminogen activators.

So, eat a lot of jalapeños if you want to have lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart attacks.

>> LOI: I eat jalapeños every day.

>> Me too.

>> LOI: I do eat jalapeños every day.

Right, Felipe?

>> Yes, chef.

>> LOI: Me and Felipe-- >> (laughs) >> LOI (laughs): See?

They have to listen to us, Felipe.

>> That's right, this is really healthy for you.

>> LOI: One more thing.

>> Oh, boy.

>> LOI: I love pecans.

Dr. Gonzalez always brings me pecans.

>> That's right.

My mother has a pecan farm in southern New Mexico.

>> LOI: One day I have to go there.

>> You're invited, perpetual invitation.

>> LOI: You hear that, right?

>> Pomegranates, pecans, and wine.

What else?

>> LOI: I'll bring the olive oil.

>> Oh, that's right.

>> LOI: Okay?

>> You bring the olive oil.

(laughter) >> Mm.

Perfect.

Thank you.

>> LOI: Yassou, yassou, yassou.

>> Perfect.

>> LOI: Okay.

See?

♪ ♪ You see, the jalapeños gave the heat immediately there.

>> Mm!

> LOI: And the crunchiness.

Don't you like the pecans in there?

>> Oh, I'm not going to talk anymore.

>> LOI: Huevos rancheros with pecans.

>> Oh, boy, this is delicious.

Mm!

>> LOI: So we have to finish with something healthier.

>> I know what you're going to do.

(Loi laughs) Shot of olive oil.

♪ ♪ Cheers.

>> LOI: Yassou.

Salud.

>> Salud.

>> LOI: Yassas.

Next time.

♪ ♪ >> ANNOUNCER: Funding for this program is provided by the Behrakis Family.

Additional funding is provided by the Greek National Tourism Organisation.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪