Patent ID: 7150279

Claim:
A cooking vessel, comprising: a) a bottom portion with an interior cooking surface and an exterior portion having, i) one or more recessed annular rings or disks, each concentrically disposed about the central axis of the cooking vessel, ii) wherein the region between the recessed annular rings or disks defines a continuous horizontal reference plane for supporting the cooking vessel on planar horizontal surface, b) substantially vertical walls extending from and surrounding said bottom portion which terminate at a rim to form an inner cavity for containing fluids, c) a layer of thermally conductive material having a continuous planar surface on each side interposed between the interior cooking surface and the exterior portion of said bottom portion, wherein a region of the thermally conductive material is exposed coincident with at least one of the annular recessed rings or disks in the exterior portion of said bottom portion of the cooking vessel, d) whereby when the bottom portion of the cooking vessel rests on a horizontal supporting surface, the exposed portions of said thermally conductive material are precluded from contacting the horizontal supporting surface.