[Pete]

A cooking fire is something that takes practice and cooking over it.

Bags of Charcoal and standard propane bottles will run out pretty quick.

One, repeat one, piece of regular seasoned wood will provide enough fire to fry a pan of Spam, cook a small pot of rice and heat some water for clean up.

Trick is to take an ax to it and split it into finger size pieces. Use about half to get the fire going, start frying and boiling water, adding pieces as needed and then finish any slow cooking with the coals. Kinda' flash fire cooking.

Cooking large meals for many people will require lots of fire wood and bigger fires.

This can be practiced now. Get one of those $3 grills at the local food store. Pick up dead sticks in your yard or get one of those $5 bundles of wood when you get the grill. Get everything ready, build a wood fire in it and cook the meal. Kids will love helping - its an "adventure".