In the development of the present invention, microwave energy absorbers when used alone were found unsatisfactory for most purposes particularly in conjunction with heating farinaceous foods such as bread products, fruit pies or pizza pies primarily because the microwave energy received directly by the food product from the magnetron or other microwave generator caused the internal temperature of the food product to rise quite rapidly whereas the heat conducted from the microwave absorber was applied more slowly so that by the time the exterior became brown or was seared, the interior was burned, dried, or otherwise overdone. U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,967 describes a microwave cooking vessel or utensil having a body formed from glass, porcelain, and ceramic or synthetic resin such as fluorine-containing resin, polypropylene, or the like. In the vessel is a metal plate beneath which is provided a heating element such as the ferrite ceramic, silicon carbide ceramic or a resistive film. A shield cover formed from a metal sheet or mesh is placed over the food to isolate the microwave radiation from the food and the internal heating of the material to be cooked is set at a suitable level by properly adjusting the leakage of the microwave radiation through the shield cover. While the system described in the patent can be used to provide a balance between internal and external heating, the vessel is expensive costing $20 or more and heavy. Much of the weight and cost of the patented vessel results from the inherent bulk and weight of the heat absorber. It is therefore used as a permanent utensil by the homemaker and is totally unsuited as a container for vending a food product. Moreover the relatively large bulk and mass of the heat absorber causes it to stay very hot, say 500°-600° F. for quite a time after removal from the oven which makes it possible for the fingers to be burned.