Cordon Bleuor Blue Ribbon

Cordon Bleu, or Blue Ribbon, formerly marked the Bourbon order of the Holy Ghost. It has since come to signify high excellence as a cook (but only with reference to females), because, as some say, a medal with blue ribbon was bestowed on such; as others say, a kind of joke upon the order above mentioned. Another reason, and probably a more correct one, for a good cook being called a cordon bleu is that the order being the most distinguished, Cordon bleu came to be synonymous with high excellence in any department. Thus it is usual in the racing world to speak of winning the Derby as the blue ribbon of the turf.