In the galaxy of dairy-based beverages, the milkshake is both Alpha Centauri and Black Hole – a shining beacon of hope, or soul-sucking absence of life.
More prosaically, they can be very good and a delight for all, or something only suitable for throwing at parking wardens.
It’s our intention to review, catalogue and photograph as many milkshakes from as many different outlets as possible before we become bored of the whole thing and return to our lives of average adequacy.
We have no prejudices as to where the milkshakes come from – we’ll cross the threshold of any dairy, fish n’ chip or swanky cafe that purports to serve our favourite flavoured frothy milk drink.
However, we only test chocolate milkshakes. This is for reasons of scientific accuracy, in order to compare like with like. Also, it’s the only flavour one of us will drink.
Our basic criteria for judging milkshakes are:
1. It is a milkshake or a thickshake?
Milkshakes are light and frothy; too thick equals instant disqualification. If we’d wanted a thickshake we would have ordered one.
2. Frothiness.
The perfect one will have lots of bubbles.
3. Flavour
Too much or too little? Artificial or natural?
4. Presentation
The ubiquitous giraffe cup or some other pale imitation?
5. Ambiance/Service/Miscellaneous
Was it service with a smile? Or a snarl?
We hope to update this as reguarly as our fast paced urban lives allow, hopefully weekly. Please feel free to send us suggestions of places to visit (bearing in mind it’s going to be difficult for us to get to, say, that great little milk bar you had your first date in and continue to go to weekly in Northern Iran).
