Office Blend Tea by Daphnis and Chloe
A fresh, hand-picked tea from Greece offers a caffeine-free energy boost
When hitting the post-lunch slump at work, the office stereotypically shuffles over to the coffee pot in search of a fresh jolt. But for those who don’t drink caffeine, the stamina-inducing choices have long been slim—energetic teas still contain the stimulant, and supplements tend to neglect the gratification of taking a break with a warm, tasty drink—forcing the decaf crowd to accept its slightly slouching state.
Young Greek tea and herb company Daphnis and Chloe are now filling that void with their new Office Blend tea, a totally caffeine-free alternative that promises much-needed perkiness. Just opening the Office Blend container will wake you up, as a cloud of peppermint floats to your nose clearing your thoughts. The hand-picked herbal blend of thyme flowers, rose hips and mountain tea is delightfully fresh and fluffy (despite traveling all the way from Greece), making you reconsider your usual loose leaf regimen. Though the sip is easily the best part; with flavor and smell combined, you’re quickly transported to the field of flowers from which the herbs were picked. That alone is enough to carry you through the rest of the afternoon, if not through the doldrums of winter all the way to spring.
Story has it that the Office Blend was created accidentally by the company’s office manager, perhaps by her own sleepy slip of the hand. The packaging, however, was designed with much more intention, using a playful, Mondrian-like pattern by Nathalie du Pasquier. Pasquier, who is most widely recognized for her collaboration with American Apparel, is both a friend to and loyal customer of Daphnis and Chloe, using their fresh herbs for her cooking. Daphnis and Chloe have made it their priority to cultivate culinary herbs that naturally occur in Greece at their places of origin, noting that they perform better than when they are cultivated elsewhere. This results in plants that are richer in antioxidants and essential oils while allowing for more sustainable, non-invasive development and a quality far beyond that which has been available up until now.
The Office Blend ($12) is available online and at select retailers.
Images by Cool Hunting
