I have always loved milkshakes, particularly thick ones, and it used to be the highlight of my week if we were taken to McDonalds when I was a child, and I got to have a McDonalds milkshake. I also remember that Frijj milkshakes were an occasional treat as they were expensive. Luckily though, they are often on some kind of special offer these days (best one was 99p each or 2 for £1 in Morrisons! Why not just BOGOF?), so I do like to treat myself. They are currently in Tesco at £1.20 each on a BOGOF offer (3/9/11)

The one I have had most recently is the chocolate fudge brownie flavour. This is probably the one I have had the most often in recent times, as it's just so good! It comes in a white plastic bottle with a tight fitting plastic sleeve on it, displaying all the usual stuff. I like to read the packaging of Frijj shakes, as there's a lot of amusing bits on there. Like, the way they state "Suitable for vegetablists". My other half has referred to me as "one of those vegetablists" for many years, so this tickles me somewhat. One thing I dislike about the packaging, is that it doesn't show the brief nutritional breakdown that most other food/drink products do, telling us what approx % GDA it contains for calories, fat, etc. It doesn't even give % GDA in the nutritional info table. This information makes being 'treatwise' (as Cadbury's say) a bit easier and it's a bit of a shame it's missing.

Although this milkshake is undoubtedly a treat item, it's not awfully high in fat at 2.1%, which equates to 10.5g (6.5g saturates) in a 500ml bottle (nutrition given on the packaging is for 100ml, so if you're analysing it remember the bottle contains 5x these values). It is calorific though, clocking in at 435 calories in a bottle. On the flip side, it does contain a lot of calcium and vitamin B12. Silver linings and all that.

It is best served chilled, but I actually feel it tastes just as good when it's not icy cold. Anyway, I generally buy this to drink there and then, only occasionally bringing it home, so sometimes I am still drinking it when it's been out the fridge long enough to lose its chill. When you open this one, you get a blast of chocolately, caramely sweetness. It smells very yummy and I always look forward to the first sip after smelling it. It is thick and creamy in consistency and a pale creamy brown colour. I don't think it smells particularly like chocolate brownies, but I think it does taste like them. At least, it tastes how I imagine a liquid version of a brownie with added milk would taste. I find it very chocolately, but only a little fudgey. However, there is enough fudge in it to distinguish it from any other thick chocolate milkshake, and I find this one isn't too sickly and doesn't leave your mouth feeling sticky either, like many others.

The biggest compliment of all, from me, is that I generally do not choose chocolate milkshakes, for the reasons I have just stated. I'm not a huge fan of the regular chocolate Frijj and in general milkshake terms my first choice is usually banana, but I can't resist this fudgey one. I would definitely recommend it unless you seriously prefer fruity to sugar sweet. As I say, I don't think this is overly sickly but I can understand why others might have this opinion, as the thickness combined with the taste does make it a bit like a pudding rather than a drink. It will keep for 3 days after opening so long as you keep it in the fridge. However, mine is usually gone within 3 hours, never mind 3 days....

** Important bits **

--Nutrition (per 500ml bottle)--
435 calories; 10.5g fat (6.5g saturates); carbs 67g (sugars 62g); fibre nil; salt trace; calcium 630mg (79% RDA); vitamin B12 1.95 microgram (195% RDA)

--Other info--
No artificial colours or flavours; gluten free; vegetarian friendly; contains milk (45% whole milk, 44% skimmed milk) amongst other ingredients.