Cooker and methods of cooking

Abstract

Cookers, methods of cooking and igniting fuel, and packaged fuel. Novel features of the cookers include receptacles and covers having reflective inner surfaces in the shapes of paraboloids. Another novel feature is a novel cooking surface and support which may extend above the top of the receptacle and into the cover. A supporting and stabilizing pan is attached to the receptacle and biased from the receptacle by a biasing means. The biasing means, combustion grate, and cooking surface support are, in combination, resiliently deformable such that the biasing means and combustion grate can be assembled to the cooking surface for storage or transport. The cookers can be readily disassembled from the cooking mode and reassembled for storage with a reduction in volume of up to at least about 50%, all without use of tools. A cap on the cooker serves dual functions of protecting the top of the cover when installed on the cover and of holding and optionally measuring lighter fluid, as in a cup, in application of lighter fluid to solid fuel. A packaged fuel article includes a container having the holding, and optionally, the measuring attributes of the cap. Method of cooking includes using a single solid fuel article as the source of heat. Also included is method of igniting charcoal, wherein the lighter fluid is measured and applied in a container.