A cup of coffee (or tea) with Carol

Author: Joshua Carson and David Peritz

Back by popular demand, the in-house connoisseurs of taste are back on the job. For our first review of the year, we selected the newly opened Carol's Hungry Mind Café for an afternoon of iced-coffee and other various frozen drinks to relieve ourselves from the sweltering mid-September heat. Carol's, which opened this past July, is located on 24 Merchant's Row right next to Amigos and is the quintessential local community coffee shop.

Upon entering, you are immediately overwhelmed by the competing aromas of different organic and free trade blends. We perused the menu packed with the typical java selections as well as smoothies, Italian sodas, quiches, sandwiches, soups and pastries. Taking the weather into consideration, we decided to pass on the soup and opted for cold drinks instead.

­After some deliberation we settled on three drinks - a hazelnut vanilla milkshake ($2.95), four-berry-blend smoothie ($3.25) and large iced coffee ($1.60) - and a piece of chocolate raspberry cheesecake ($3.65). In accordance with general expectations of a newly opened cafe, the behind the counter service, while polite and courteous, was by no means a finely oiled machine.

After getting our drinks and cake, we chose a place in the corner around a dark wooden table surrounded by matching backed chairs and a plush leather loveseat. The cheesecake, prepared in a local bakery, was a little dry for our taste but nevertheless satisfying and complemented the iced coffee, which was strong and flavorful.

While the berry smoothie was disappointing in that it was made with juice and ice rather than frozen berries, we would recommend a milkshake if you are looking for a cold drink. The thick vanilla milkshake, made with hard vanilla ice cream, was of the standard variety, although a wide range of syrups can be added to delight a variety of palates.

The ambiance of the café was delightful. The cream and maroon color scheme was earthy and warm, characteristic of any New England coffee house. Instead of curtains, burlap coffee bean sacks were drawn back along the windows, allowing ample natural light to permeate the large lounging area. This place definitely lacks the corporate feel of a Manhattan Starbucks where you can taste the exploitation in every sip.

After our drinks, we were joined by the co-owners John Melanson and Gina Tindall to discuss the recent grand opening and their vision for the new café. The enthusiastic owners described an idea in which the coffee shop serves as a community space for all Middlebury residents, including those of the College and of the town. They described future events including poetry slams, game board night and open-mic night as well as the renovation of the first floor, which will house the Middlebury Town Hall theater in February. Rotating local artists display their work on the walls and this month is comprised of poignant photography from Mongolia and watercolors of landscape scenes. While Melanson explained that he is not targeting any particular group, he hopes to see "a mix of everybody."

By buying local and providing a great atmosphere for unwinding, Carol's is sure to become a popular destination in the town for all of those looking for a reasonably priced cup of coffee and a nice place to relax.