March 8 is International Woman's Day, and is an occasion for considerable celebration in Italy.

Not familiar with L'8 Marzo? Like many other days set aside to celebrate the rights of workers, the International Woman's Day's origins are American: At the turn of the last century women were entering the workforce in record numbers in the United States, and began to agitate for better working conditions and pay, as well as the vote. In 1908 the Socialist women of the US held demonstrations for improved working conditions, better pay, and suffrage on February 28. On February 28 1909 several thousand women turned out in Manhattan, and during the same winter the women working in the sweatshops struck for better conditions and pay, with the support of the Woman's Trade Union, which provided bail money and food.

American women continued to observe February 28 as Woman's Day, while in 1910 the delegates of the Socialist International Meeting in Copenhagen voted unanimously to establish an International Women's Day, without setting a specific date.

So in 1911 the women of Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland demonstrated on March 19, and it is estimated that more than a million people participated. A week later, on March 25, in Manhattan the Triangle fire claimed the lives of more than 140 workers, mostly immigrant girls -- there was only one fire escape for the hundreds of people trapped in the burning floors -- and the newspaper accounts led to calls for reform, while tying the fire to the struggle for women's rights in popular imagery. (For more information, including heart-rending newspaper accounts, see the Triangle Fire pages).

Yearly demonstrations continued, becoming associated with the peace movements that formed as a response to the gathering clouds of war in Europe; in particular, Russian women settled on February 28 as the day for their demonstrations. And continued to demonstrate during the war; despite opposition from other activists, on the last Sunday of February -- the 23rd -- 1917 they went on strike to protest conditions at home and the more than 2 million war dead. They called for "bread and peace," and four days later the Czar capitulated; one of the first things the provisional government did was grant women the right to vote. The date, February 23 on the Julian calendar then used in Russia, was March 8 in the Gregorian calendar used elsewhere, and that's why International Woman's Day is March 8.

In Italy it's an occasion for meetings, talks, and demonstrations, and men traditionally give women a sprig of mimosa, with its bright yellow blossoms, to mark the occasion. I'm off to buy Daughter Clelia and Wife Elisabetta theirs.

Again, happy March 8 to all who celebrate it!

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I was searching the Web the other day for bruschetta, and came across an entry for "chicken bruschetta." It struck me as odd, because I'd never heard of bruschetta di pollo, which is what it would (roughly) be in Italian. So I clicked on the link and discovered it is a grilled chicken breast with a topping.

While an Italian might like a grilled chicken breast with a topping, few in Italy would think to call it bruschetta, for the simple reason that the word bruschetta means a rustic slice of country bread that has been bruscato, or toasted, and then rubbed with a slice of garlic. Antonio Piccinardi says the practice of toasting and garlicking slices of bread began between the Abruzzo and Lazio, and subesquently spread to other parts of Italy, gaining the dusting of salt and the drizzle of olive oil as it went.

While Bruschetta made this way is still one of the finest fall antipasti and the perfect way to enjoy newly pressed olive oil (in about a month), Italians do now also enrich their bruschetta with finely chopped tomatoes, or cooked white beans (especially in Tuscany and Umbria), or with kale, at which point the bruschetta becomes cavolo con le fette.

But as I said, I don't personally know anyone in Italy who makes Bruschetta di Pollo. Yet -- Google did turn up one recipe for Bruschetta di Pollo on a site called "A Tutto Pollo" -- Solid Chicken -- which says it is a "Piatto light e molto mediterraneo," A light very mediterranean dish, and the use of a trendy English word in the description speaks volumes. If the recipe catches on, we may yet talk of Bruschetta di Pollo in Italy, though I rather expect most people will continue to call the dish Petti grigliati alla...

In the meantime, if you want to try Chicken Bruschetta (written up in English), Linda's recipe looks quite nice.

Today's Picture: Millefoglie with Crema Chantilly.

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You might not think it, but ricotta is one of the more versatile Italian ingredients, working very well in fillings for pasta, fillings for vegetables, and also in pasta sauces and dishes such as lasagna, and that's just the savory side of the equation. It's also wonderful in cheesecakes and puddings, and if you don't feel like cooking, good fresh ricotta is very nice with a drizzle of good olive oil, salt, pepper, crusty bread, and a class of wine.

Got some ricotta and wondering what to do? Check out the ricotta recipes collection I just posted.

While we're on the subject of new things, don't miss Paccheri Pasta with Cheesy Grilled Zucchini, or Neapolitan Lasagna with Sausages. A pair of easy recipes that will work nicely as comfort foods.

Today's Picture: A Chianina ox, hitched to a wine cart for the annual presentation of Chianti Rufina to Florence (which took place today).

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Cabbage is, like most everything else in Italy, both seasonal and regional. The leafy head cabbages are more of a northern thing because they do best with cold winter temperatures of a sort that are rarer in the south.

And yes, heads of Savoy Cabbage are beginning to appear in the markets. Given that it's quite soon for them, I'm not sure if they're Italian, but they are nice. A couple of ideas:

• Savoy Cabbage with Walnuts and Onions, Verza Con Noci e Cipolle
• Rice and Savoy Cabbage Venetian Style, Risi E Verze Alla Veneziana
• Savoy Cabbage and Sausages, Verze e Luganega

Today's Picture: A Venetian Mask.

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