Mexican food is, in my opinion, the quintessential food to pair with beer. The complexity of spices in traditional Mexican dishes lends itself perfectly to the array of flavors in beer. The heavy amount of citrus and chocolate used in the cuisine also highlights the pairing.

Although there is a little more than a month left in the summer, the Idyllwild Nature Center still has many special programs for everyone. On the weekend of Aug. 5 and 6, butterflies will be making their annual appearance at Butterfly Daze both days from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. People can enter butterfly pavilions and observe Monarch butterflies at close range. Volunteers will be there to explain the life cycle of a butterfly and other pertinent butterfly facts.