I hope this letter is a welcome interlude amongst renewal reminders, bill payments, and ‘circling back’ requests filling your inbox at the moment. I also hope you’re not putting too much pressure on yourselves to exclaim an exuberant ‘Yes!’ when everyone asks if you had a great holiday.😬I like to have a great time as much as the next guy but I’m also a realist and know when we put high expectations on things, like holidays, they can easily fall short. In this instance we take a moment to grieve, find solace in friends who may have had an equally unexpected holiday, and eventually smirk at ourselves for thinking everything would go accordingly to plan, because we know that’s not the way life works. Over the holiday my dear friend dislocated her elbow on a mountain top in Austria, my great-aunt, who played a resilient matriarchal role in our family passed on, and a personal relationship with someone I love became strained. As my friend (with her now immobile arm fixed like a Lego figurine) reminded me, when it rains it pours. The good thing about rain is that it eventually dries up (even here in London), injuries heal, and grief becomes more tolerable with time. In times like these I’m always inspired by the human ability to turn bad situations into good ones, and that’s exactly what Babycham, a tiny sparkling perry, did.
One of the best things about becoming British is learning about pop culture. Most of the world is pretty up to speed on American pop culture because they’re inundated with it from birth, but sadly the reverse isn’t true. Most Americans learn about international pop culture through intentional study, travel, spending time with people who are from new places, and listening to them recount their lives through music, poetry, commercials, and childhood cartoons. Funnily enough, I first learned what a Babycham was through fellow American, Jim Gerlach, owner and fermenter at Nashi Orchards on Vashon Island, near Seattle, Washington.
Every September I head to Seattle to visit our Microsoft headquarters and when I’m in the area I like to squeeze in time with friends as well as a few local beverages. The drinks coming out of this area are all magnificent and unique, gushing with a true sense of their Pacific Northwest roots. My friend recommended Vashon Island for a girls weekend, a charming and tranquil spot in Puget Sound, just a short ferry ride from Seattle. It's known for its natural beauty, teeming with lush forests, scenic trails, and miles of shoreline. The island also has a vibrant community spirit that reminded me of my beloved Asheville, North Carolina (which my previous post linked below pays homage to).
It was serendipitous that I actually met a lovely man from Asheville in a clothing store in downtown Vashon. He was trying on a beautiful handknit sweater when the store clerk mentioned it was women’s wear, he simply shrugged, insisted it looked great on him (which it did) and proceeded to purchase it. Both towns embody an open minded vibe where quirky characters thrive. Post our morning of shopping, walking, delicious food, and hot tubbing, I was buzzing to have the opportunity to visit Nashi Orchards in the afternoon.
Jim Gerlach and Cheryl Lubbert started Nashi on Vashon Island in 2005 by transforming an old pear orchard into a thriving cidery; recently they’ve expanded to Oregon's Hood River with a certified-organic orchard and a luxury bed-and-breakfast, Sakura Ridge. This venture is a co-ferment of passion, tradition, and innovation, nestled within the most bucolic setting. They’ve been crafting award-winning ciders and perries from their Asian and European pear and heirloom apple orchards, and their hospitality is some of the warmest I’ve experienced in the industry. The tasting room reminded me of a classic orangery (but ya know, for apples and pears), part conservatory with large windows and high ceiling, part library, with cozy couches, a coffee table, and shelves stacked high with books about their beloved fruits. Carol, who was managing the tasting room, greeted us and enthusiastically dove into stories about the orchard, the ferments, and the path that lead her here. We decided on two tasting flights, one traditional and one non-alcoholic, which has become important for Jim and Cheryl to offer as they make the property welcoming for friends and families of all ages and predilections.
Jim and I had spoken over email prior to our visit and he graciously made himself available to accompany us in the orchard, providing us with background about the winemaking and fermenting process, as well as his dynamic career journey in architecture prior to founding Nashi. My Perry and Cider Tasting was a comprehensive and delicious overview of what Jim and Cheryl do so well, let their fruit shine. It included tart and medium-sweet sips made from D’Anjou and Hukari Pears, Newtown Pippin and Crimson Gold apples. As I learned more about Jim and vice-versa, we started diving into some of his whimsical projects, including a Cab Franz co-ferment, and the Idyllacres Bittersweet Cider, of which they created a few 6.3 oz bottles that became a fun Nashi tribute to ‘Babycham’. Much to Jim’s surprise I had never heard of Babycham, but now that he had generously sent me home with two of his precious bottles resembling the iconic original, I was set on digging into their OG inspiration.
The story of Babycham begins in a post World War II England, a country, like many at the time, facing significant heart break, loss, challenge, and economic hardship. However, out of these hardships England saw a plethora of positive social reformation, including the creation of the National Health Service (NHS), the nationalization of key industries like gas, electric, banking, and railways, and of course, Babycham.🍾
During the war women took on roles traditionally held by men and coincidingly began to frequent pubs (public houses) which was previously considered taboo (le sigh 😒). Herbert Showering, a businessman based in Somerset, accompanied by his brother Francis, a chemist with a great palate, saw an opportunity to develop a drink targeted towards these women now frequenting the pubs. They wanted it to hold the essence and elegance of Champagne, but it had be made on a post-war budget. The brothers decided to use pears that would have otherwise gone to waste to create a fermented sparkling beverage. They originally called the beverage "Champagne De La Poire" due to its natural sparkle but once they were ready to go to market, the name began to feel clunky, and I can only imagine quite hard to bark out an order for in a crowded pub. The brand's advertising agency struggled to come up with a new name until the factory's transport manager casually referred to the smaller bottles as "baby cham", and just like that, a brand was born (I hope that man got paid). I imagine they would have also had some answering to do to the Comité Champagne in France where Champagne producers have reverently defended the name "Champagne" to ensure that only sparkling wines produced in the Champagne region of France, following specific production methods, can legally be called "Champagne." Now that the bev was fitted with it’s new catchy name and a spectacular advertising campaign, Babycham became a trailblazing drink, was the second advertisement ever to appear on TV in the UK, as well as the first alcohol brand to be featured in a TV ad.
Napoleon Bonaparte is often quoted as referring to sparkling perry as the "champagne of Britain"
Now that I was versed in the history of this iconic drink, including that Amy Winehouse was often seen with a glass it, it was time to partake in my own glam Babycham moment. In speaking with British friends they remembered Babycham as something cheap and cheerful they’d pick up during their university days and often spike with cherry vodka. I learned the drink had a massive resurgence in the 80’s and could still be found in a few spots around London. I found my nostalgic retro moment at Friendly Society, one of my favorite underground gay bars in Soho, fitted with a make-out cubby hole, fish tanks, hundreds of barbie dolls dangling from the ceiling, and, you guessed it, a neon Babycham advert.
As I placed my order with the bartender I was unsure if he’d think I was ultra cool or extremely cringe. He looked me up and down in my 90’s velvet dress adorned with a black leather harness and decided on the former. Much to my delight he popped the tiny bottles, poured them into crystal coupes, and dropped a candy red maraschino cherry into each glass🍒. I’m unsure if it was the setting, the presentation, or the story that brought me to this moment, but I adored my Babycham. I felt classy, expensive, distinguished, and it all started to make sense, just how magical it was that a small sparkling beverage made from a modest pear could inspire such resilience. The Babycham was mildly sweet and comforting like pear baby food, with a crackle of crispy pastry, and a sprinkling of light citric acidity. I had to remind myself of a tasting tip I often share, that it’s important to try things more than once because setting, mood, company, anticipation, etc. can really alter our perception of flavor and preference. Taste wise, it wasn’t similar to Jim’s complex traditional dry cider, with bittersweet notes of black tea and a subtle touch of savory BBQ with an apple cider glaze, but I’m so very grateful that one led me to the other.
Emerging from my post-holiday era, I’m thinking a lot about continuity and all of the positive things that can stem from hardship. When a kind soul with a tiny cider on a tiny island off the coast of Washington leads me to Babycham bliss back home, it’s impossible to put boundaries on what could be waiting for me just over the horizon. The Showering brothers did what they could with what they had and brought people comfort and joy during a time where it seemed impossible to find. I’m taking their ingenuity with me into 2025 and remind you to think of this story when things seem impossible to navigate, when life gives you pears, make a perry🍐
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