cockscomb

1 garden annual with featherlike spikes of red or yellow flowers [syn: common cockscomb, Celosia cristata, Celosia argentea cristata]

2 a conceited dandy who is overly impressed by his own accomplishments [syn: coxcomb]

3 a cap worn by court jesters; adorned with a strip of red [syn: coxcomb]

4 the fleshy red crest on the head of the domestic fowl and other gallinaceous birds [syn: comb, coxcomb]

English

Noun

1. The fleshy red crest of a rooster
2. A red cap once worn by court jesters
3. An annual garden plant, Celosia cristata, having showy red clusters of flowers
4. A conceited dandy
5. A serrated cleat once fitted to the yards of a square-rigged ship and used when the sail was being reefed

Translations

Alternative spellings

• coxcomb

otheruses Coxcomb Anatomically, a comb is a fleshy growth, caruncle, or crest on the top of the head of gallinaceous birds, most notably turkeys, pheasants, and domestic chickens. Its alternative name cockscomb (spelling variations abound) is due to the fact that combs are generally larger on males than on females (a male gallinaceous bird is called a cock or rooster).

Rooster cockscombs are red, but in other species the color may vary from light grey to deep blue or red; turkey cockscomb can vary in colour from bright red to blue.

In cookery

Cockscombs are used in cookery, often in combination with wattles or chicken kidneys. In cookery, they are sometimes called chicken crests.

Cockscombs were formerly used in French cuisine as garnishes. They were also used to prepare salpicons served in vol au vents, profiteroles, and so on; in that case, they were often combined with other luxury ingredients such as truffles, sweetbreads, or morels in a cream sauce.

In Italian cuisine, cockscombs are an important ingredient in the famous sauce called 'Cibreo', which also includes chicken livers, wattles, and unlayed eggs. It is used as a sauce for tagliatelle and in the molded potato-ricotta ring 'Cimabella con cibreo'.

Cockscombs are prepared by parboiling and skinning, then cooking in court-bouillon. After preparation, they are greyish.

UK Police Helmet

Cockscomb helmets are the most common type of helmet, which was the first type of helmet worn by the Metropolitan Police but many forces still wear this type (or its descendent) today.

This has a raised ridge that runs up the centre of the helmet from the back to the front.

This type of Helmet can be made from many diverse materials, early summer helmets were even made from woven straw, some are made from pressed Felt made from rabbit fur, others from layers of Cork, and the latest issue are made from a heavy GRP material to protect the officers in Public order situations.

Other

Because of its bright color and distinctive shape, 'cockscomb' also describes various plants, including the florists' plant Celosia cristata, the meadow weed Yellow rattle, Sainfoin, Wild Poppy, Lousewort, Adder's-tongue, and Erythrina crista-galli; the characteristic jester's cap; a shape of pasta (creste di galli); and so on.

References

• Larousse Gastronomique