This week we're featuring a first season encore that's all about fires and fireplaces:

It's lovely to cuddle up next to a nice warm fire during the brisk winter months. This week's episode was taped at a lovely home on Fire Island with a real fireplace. If you don't have the luxury of a genuine hearth you can create a facsimile with a product called sunjel. The little cans of jel will give off a flame that looks like wood flame but doesn't give off smoke so there's no need for a flue. You can also get log and grate sets that have boxes to hold the cans of jel that create the effect of a traditional fireplace.

What's better than a hot cup of cocoa in front of the fire? Here's my recipe for hot cocoa. Here it is:

You'll need:

1/4 cup Cocoa powder

1/2 cup Sugar

Dash Salt

1/3  cup hot water

4 cups milk

1/8 cup Coconut, vanilla or orange rum

Combine the cocoa, sugar, salt and water in a sauce pan and heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes. Add the milk and stir until heated, but do not boil. Remove from the heat and beat with a mixer until foamy. Add the rum and serve.

This should make about 6 servings. If you're a tee totaler you can eliminate the rum and flavor the cocoa with extract instead.

Don't forget the Brini Maxwell auctions this week and come by Felix Populi for some fun Valentines Day products!