Interesting Food Facts about Cordon Bleu

1. The phrase “Cordon Bleu” means “Blue Ribbon” when referring to the dish.
2. Another use of the phrase “Cordon Bleu” comes from a distinguished order of sixteenth-century French knights, who apparently wore blue sashes and were therefore popularly referred to as the “Cordon-bleus.”
3. Cordon Bleu is a thinly pounded piece of meat (most often chicken, but also veal or pork) stuffed with ham and cheese, then breaded and fried.
4. Chicken Cordon Bleu is a relatively recent American creation, first found mentioned in the written word in 1967.
5. Common variations on this recipe include baking instead of frying, skipping the breading, and switching the order of the meats.

Fun Fact:

The dish did not originate at any of the prestigious Cordon Bleu cooking schools of Europe as often thought. It is not exactly clear who was the first person to prepare and name the dish chicken cordon…