'Forgotten' drinks firm keeping it in family in Torpoint

LOVAGE CORDIAL IS JUST THE START

- MAXINE DENTON

A TRIO of siblings in Cornwall are using their great-grandmother’s World War Two recipes to bring back the taste of forgotten drinks.

Chris Waterfield was caring for his grandfather during the Covid pandemic when he discovered a book of home brews his great-gran, Kit, used to keep Torpoint ‘well oiled’ during the war.

He found a recipe for traditional lovage cordial – an old-fashioned alcoholic cordial made from the lovage plant – and was inspired to start brewing it himself. After discovering that the drink was popular with his friends, he decided to team up with his brother, Ben, and sister, Tor, to produce batches to sell.

The siblings have since started their own business, The Forgotten Corner Drinks Company, which specialises in producing alcoholic drinks that people “don’t tend to think about anymore”.

Chris said that, whilst the process has taken some time, they have now perfected the recipe using locally grown ingredients. “Although lovage is seen as more of an older person’s drink, we know, being from the area, that many locals enjoyed drinking it with brandy and have been trying to get hold of it for ages now,” he explained.