mirliton

noun

1. A pear-shaped vegetable or its vine; the chayote.

   “To start your mirliton plant, buy the fruit in a produce-oriented market in spring and plant it in full sunlight in fertile, well-drained soil, leaving the stem half of the fruit out of the ground.”

   “One day last summer, Stephon and Scarbaby had been on the way to Neidermayer's grocery store, by the short cut, when Scarbaby decided to pick mirlitons off the mirliton vine in the yard by the Lombarde house, which used to be a plantation[…]”

   “In New Orleans, for example, the mirliton (chayote) tree has grown for centuries[…]”

2. The eunuch flute, a kind of kazoo or membranophone.

   “In form the mirlitons resembled flutes, shawms, or other instruments, and were generally furnished with a parchment membrane.”

   “Whistles, mirlitons, flutes, trumpets or horns, clarinets, and oboes are all played in one or more parts of the continent.”

   “The bars have air resonators below, and mirliton membranes are set over holes in the resonators (see Figure 10-3C).”

3. An 18th-century hussar hat resembling a slightly conical shako or tall fez.

   “Headwear: This was either the colpack or the mirliton. Regiments No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 wore the former; 5, 6, 7 and 8 the latter.”

   “Hélie also raised his mirliton in solidarity, but after the initial hooray and bravado, he felt a deep sense of dread.”

   “The headdress was a fur busby for the 1st-4th Regts., and a felt mirliton or Flügelmütze for the remainder (also worn by the 4th, 1752-71).”

4. A tartlet or biscuit garnished with almond, first produced in Rouen around 1800.

   “[…] Have moulds prepared as for the mirlitons of Rouen; fill them and finish in the same manner.”

   “ALMOND PASTE MIRLITONS WITH CHOCOLATE CREAM”

   “To make the mirliton, in a bowl, break the eggs, add both the sugars, the double cream, almond meal, lemon zest and melted butter.”