Antarctica on a Plate

"Antarctica on a Plate" is a joyful account of a career woman who lobbies shamelessly to get to Antarctica - despite her utter unsuitability for the job. The book captures her sheer exuberance at finding herself on a continent that defies description. It's the story of three short months on a blue-ice runway where the accommodation is basic but the food is five star. Armed with an old cookbook, Alexa attempts to create three-course meals with no electricity or running water and struggles to defrost meat in the coldest place on Earth. Life in a thin mylon tent in the company of scientists, explorers and eccentrics soon begins to take on extraordinary dimensions. As 75-mile-an-hour winds blow and tensions rise, friendships - and love - are forged in this frozen neighbourhood.