Is there a foolproof way to get a fire going in the fireplace?

One secret to making a great fire is having the right kindling — ideally, a soft wood with a high resin content to produce the fierce heat needed for larger logs to catch. If you have a private supply in the woodshed out back, you're in luck. If not, try a sack of fatwood — precut pine kindling that is easy to ignite with a single match. With a light coat of leftover ash as a base, place a wad of crumpled newspaper beneath the hearth grate and a handful of dried twigs and two sticks of fatwood on top. Angle two or three hardwood logs over the kindling, leaving plenty of room for air to circulate, then light the newspaper. If it's a roaring fire you're after, add medium-size logs as needed; for a steady blaze that will last into the night, lay an oversize log at the back of the fireplace, with hot ashes banked below and smaller logs resting against it in front.