August 2007 Inspirations

The Best Corn Ever

• Lemon-Basil Butter
• Chili-Lime Butter
• Parmesan-Parsley Butter

Nothing--repeat, nothing--tastes better this time of year than fresh corn on the cob. Just cook up your favorite variety, and then flavor it with one of our tasty butters. Start each recipe with ½ cup softened butter, and add our suggested stir-ins.

Stay Cool In Hotlanta

Stay cool in "Hotlanta" at the Fountain of Rings in Centennial Olympic Park. Spruced up earlier this year, it's an urban take on the old swimming hole, smack in the heart of downtown. If you'd rather not take the plunge, drop by to watch one of its four daily shows, when the water itself dances to music. The fun starts at 12:30, 3:30, 6:30, and 9 p.m. every day.

Sweet and Tart

•  Peppermint Citrus Cooler

This refreshing treat comes from Baltimore's Flower Mart, held in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. One of the event's most popular traditions, lemon sticks are a zippy combination of half a lemon served with a porous peppermint candy stick to use as a straw. Try our version. The tart juice and the sweet candy cane will bring some zing to your taste buds.

Colorful Blossoms

By August, summer heat can take a toll on marigold plants. Here's a way to make the most of your crop with an eye-catching arrangement. Just snip off the blooms, and float them en masse in a couple of inches of water. Collected, their bright colors hint at the promise of fall. If you don't have any marigolds growing, check out your local garden centers. Many will be reintroducing them now in anticipation of the season to come.