When I woke up this morning, I didn’t envisage pouring milk into a glass of Pepsi and chugging it down before midday. But such is the life of a lifestyle editor, who am I to refuse?
This strange turn of events is all down to Lindsay Lohan, who stars in Pepsi’s Christmas advert and apparently enjoys the eyebrow-raising blend.
Our favourite Mean Girls star reprises her Cady Heron costume to pour milk into a glass of Pespi. “Pepsi and milk...Pilk!” she says to the camera, before taking a sip.
“That is one dirty soda,” she adds, a nod to the dirty soda TikTok trend, which saw millions posting videos this year mixing fizzy drinks with syrup, cream, pineapple juice, lime juice...almost anything they found in the fridge.
I wanted to hate this blend of fizzy milk. (Lindsay, stop trying to make Pilk happen. It’s not going to happen!) But you’ve got to hand it to Pepsi, they know how to make an advert that gets people talking (and at least there’s no harrier jets in this one...)
Despite my reservations about the drink (and about the brand, after watching that Netflix documentary), I tried it anyway – and I was in for a surprise.
Pilk, it must be said, is not as disgusting as it sounds. It’s actually reminiscent of an ice cream float – sweet, creamy, with only a faint suggestion of bubbles beneath the surface.
The liquid doesn’t separate as much as I’d imagined and I happily finish a glass, topped with a Maraschino cherry in a vain attempt at cocktail aesthetic. (Come to think of it, this would be boosted by a splash of Kahlúa and vodka, effectively making a White Russian with a Pepsi twist).
Many on social media also embellish their dirty sodas with syrups designed for coffee, so I try a second version with the Monin roasted hazelnut flavouring I have squirrelled away in the cupboard. The combination instantly raises the festive stakes and I’m feeling rather smug.
Admittedly, this concoction will be a horror for those without a sweet tooth. But for me, it’s an unexpected indulgent delight.
If you can’t embrace your inner Buddy the Elf at Christmastime, when can you?
