The zesty taste of lemon is always a winner. The tart fruit can have an amazing effect on any summer or winter menu with its pleasant and distinctive scent creating an inviting atmosphere.

This past Christmas, James Bellot wasn’t thinking of the traditional holiday desserts and beverages. He was thinking about lemon pie and a tall pitcher of lemonade made from the fresh lemons picked from his backyard citrus tree.

With some of the lemons weighing as much as 2 pounds 2 ounces, Bellot said, luckily he had many friends to share the zesty fruit with.

“A lot of people think of lemons only as a summer fruit because it is refreshing, but lemons produce through the winter months,” he said.

Bellot said as soon as the lemons are ripe enough to harvest from his backyard citrus tree, he pulls out his pie pans to make one of his favorite desserts, a double crust lemon pie. And if Bellot still hasn’t had his fill of lemon pie since the tangy fruit started ripening on the tree in late November, he has another reason — January 23 is National Pie Day.

“The tree is only three years old so I really didn’t think I would have lemons this size. The tree was full and many of them were the size of a grapefruit,” he said.

During those dreary winter months, Ruby Newcomb perks up her family with a lemon pound cake.

“A lemon dessert is always refreshing and besides lemons are good for you,” she said.

Newcombe said when homegrown lemons are plentiful, she often squeezes the juice and freezes it in ice cube trays. Once frozen, the individual cubes are stored in a Zip Lock bag and are ready for use throughout the year.

When nursing a cold, Newcomb said a hot drink made with fresh lemon juice, honey and a touch of mint can be soothing.

Catherine Wattingy, an Iberia Parish school nurse and The Daily Iberian guest food columnist, said the fruit is not only flavorful, but is filled with Vitamin C which helps to ward off colds and other viruses.

“With the cold and flu season at its peak, this is a good time to include plenty of Vitamin C in your diet,” Wattigny said.

Lemons are not just for use in those special desserts or beverages. The zesty taste of lemon can bring out the flavor in sweet and savory foods, turning any entree or side dish into a big hit at the dinner table. It’s a great seasoning for almost any vegetable, can be substituted for vinegar in salad dressings and used for meat marinades or sauce for broiling or grilling fish.

“Lemon can perk up the flavor of a tomato in a salad. The light tartness and refreshing taste of a lemon reminds me of spring time,” said Wattigny.

Don’t forget about lemons for garnishing food and as a preservative. A lemon slice or grated lemon rind can make any dish look special.

Squeezing a few drops of lemon juice on pears, apples and bananas can keep them from turning brown.

Lemon juice isn’t just for cooking. Here are a few tips that can put that extra lemon juice to good use:

• A halved lemon dipped in salt or baking soda can be used to brighten copper or stainless steel cookware. The acid dissolves the tarnish and the abrasives assist the cleaning.

• The juice can be used as a deodorizer and to disinfect.

• Use fresh squeezed lemon juice to remove bad smells from refrigerator, cutting board, microwave, or other surface.

• Use lemon juice as a bleach to remove stains such as in plastic containers or on laundry.

• Add a few drops of lemon juice to a pot of rice to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.