Clarissa was born into a wealthy family of food lovers who thought nothing of flying pigeons in from Cairo for supper. Her mother was an Australian heiress, her father was a brilliant surgeon to the Royal family. But he was also a tyrannical and violent drunk. Clarissa was determined and clever, though, and her ambition led her to a career in the law. At the age of 21, she was the youngest ever woman to be called to the Bar. Then disaster struck when her adored mother died suddenly. There followed a mind-numbing decade of wild drinking. Rich from her inheritance, in the end Clarissa had drained her entire fortune. It was a long, hard road to recovery along which Clarissa finally faced her demons and turned to the one thing that had always brought her joy -- cooking. Now at last she has found success, sobriety -- and peace. With the stark honesty and the brilliant wit we love her for Clarissa recounts the tale of a life lived to extremes.