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Today on Beacon Hill

10:00am Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities, Virtual Hearing

11:00am Joint Committee on Financial Services, Public Hearing

11:00am House Session, Informal Session

1:00pm Joint Committee on Election Laws, Public Hearing

5:30pm Ellen Story Commission on Postpartum Depression, Virtual Hearing

“The city of Boston deserves better,” she said, looking at Essaibi George and then to the camera. “Our country and our democracy barely survived four years of Trump, and the types of campaigning that involve negative attacks, personal attacks, falsehoods, and fear mongering. This is not what I wanted this mayoral race to turn into.”

Michelle Wu

Responding to City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George's jabs during last night's second mayoral debate.

News By Category
Business

Legislative leaders hear from local organizations on pandemic-related changes to tourism » Berkshire Eagle

Cannabis & Psychedelics

These 5 experts have been appointed to the Massachusetts Cannabis Advisory Board, including former NETA president Amanda Rositano and Laury Lucien of Major Bloom » MassLive

Civil Rights

AG Healey urges Supreme Court to halt Texas abortion ban » News 22 WWLP.com

Crimes

Violence In Boston director arrested by the feds on pandemic fraud charges » Boston Herald

Education

Massachusetts to decide ‘by early next week’ on future of school mask mandate » Boston.com

Concord’s Middlesex School invited Nikole Hannah-Jones to speak during Black History Month. Then canceled it » Boston Globe

In Wellesley, an attack spurs outrage, protest over school bullying » Boston Globe

After 10 years, Lawrence wants to take back control of its schools. But Commissioner Riley is showing no signs of letting go of state receivership » Boston Globe

COVID-19 Testing Programs Keeping Kids In Schools » State House News Service

Bill Draws Bright Lines On Student Transcript Access » State House News Service

How does it feel to work on a wind turbine? New Bedford area students now have VR training » South Coast Today

Plymouth schools name three new assistant principals » Wicked Local

Housing

With the fall weather, a slightly mellower Greater Boston housing market » Boston Globe

Human Services

Tent ban enacted, command structure set up to address Mass. Ave. and Melnea Cass Blvd. crisis » WHDH

Holyoke Soldiers’ Home trustees joust over future governance » MassLive

Insurance

SJC rules insurers must compensate for ‘inherent loss of value’ after an auto accident » Boston Globe

Labor

UI Overpayments Creating Clawback Crisis » State House News Service

Legislative

District maps adjusted ahead of Thursday House vote » News 22 WWLP.com

Local Government

Redrawn Amherst districts give more power to BIPOC voters » Gazette Net

EDITORIAL: Bringing our history home » The Eagle Tribune

Analysis: A Key Ryan Decision Gave Springfield a Second Chance » Western Mass Politics and Insight

Politics

Michelle Wu, Annissa Essaibi-George clash in feisty Boston mayor debate » Boston Herald

In the second debate, fireworks between Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George » Boston Globe

With campaign donations, Boston city workers have staked out their preferred mayoral candidate » Boston Globe

At-large Holyoke council hopefuls talk taxes, schools » Gazette Net

Opinion: Heat rises in Boston City Council race » Boston Globe

Our View: State GOP needs to give Jim Lyons the boot » The Sun Chronicle

Three takeaways from the Boston mayoral debate » Boston Globe

Dominik Lay residency unresolved as election approaches » Lowell Sun

Boston City Council candidates answer six big questions facing the city » Boston Globe

Wu Holds “Landslide Lead” Ahead of Boston Mayoral Election » State House News Service

Briefings: Courtroom Twist in Collamore’s Latest Springfield Race? » Western Mass Politics and Insight

Public Health

‘Unfailingly trustworthy’: Amherst Neighbors experiences rapid growth in pandemic while supporting older adults » Gazette Net

‘There is an urgency’: Janey unveils Mass. and Cass plan as city declares addiction and homelessness a public health crisis » Boston Globe

City, State Partnering On Changes At Mass. And Cass » State House News Service

White House details plans to vaccinate 28 million children age 5-11 » Boston Globe

Janey bans tents on Boston streets, including Mass and Cass » Boston Business Journal

Public Safety

Boston to crack down on tent encampments on Methadone Mile » Boston Herald

Brockton man's fate and freedom now lie in Gov. Charlie Baker's hands » The Enterprise

Tewksbury Fire Department receives $90,000 from state » Lowell Sun

State Government

Attleboro area senator says pandemic-era election reforms one step closer to being instituted » BU News

State employees face firings over vaccine mandate » Salem News

Taxation

Opinion: It isn’t tax cuts that are driving federal deficits » Boston Globe

Time for Baker to Abandon Massachusetts Gas Tax Hike [OPINION] » WBSM

Transportation

MBTA officials: Green Line branch fully reopens after trolley derails » WHDH

Utilities

Springfield state Rep. Orlando Ramos will file legislation requiring Eversource pay property taxes in full » MassLive

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Recipe of the Week

Swedish Cardamom Buns

Fabrique Bakery and Charlotte Druckman — New York Times Cooking

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH:

1 ¼ cups/300 milliliters whole milk

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (from one 1/4-ounce packet)

4 cups/510 grams unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons/90 grams granulated sugar

6 tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter (3/4 stick), softened

2 tablespoons ground cardamom (see Note)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

FOR THE FILLING:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons/250 grams unsalted butter (2 1/4 sticks), slightly softened

1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

2 tablespoons ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

TO FINISH:

1 large egg

20 green cardamom pods

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions

Prepare the dough: In a small saucepan set over medium-low heat, bring the milk to 105 to 110 degrees. Remove it from the heat and pour it into a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top, give it a quick whisk and let it rest a few minutes to dissolve and activate. If the yeast looks like it’s clumping, whisk it gently.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, butter, cardamom, salt and the yeasted milk. Mix on the lowest setting until just combined and beginning to form a dough, 1 to 2 minutes. Continue on low to knead dough, about 2 minutes. It should go from shaggy and coarse to smooth and shiny. Working inside the bowl, give the dough a couple more kneads by hand to bring it together. You can also knead the dough entirely by hand on a work surface. (It’ll take 8 minutes or so.)

Line a 9-by-13-inch quarter sheet pan with parchment paper and dump the kneaded dough out onto it. Using your hands, pat and shape the dough into a large rectangular block. Make 4 or 5 shallow, 1/4-inch-deep slashes in the dough with a knife. Cover the baking sheet with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and transfer the dough to the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.

Make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, cardamom and salt on low speed just to form a granular paste. (It should resemble marzipan.) Don’t overbeat it: You don’t want it to be too soft or get fluffy. You can also do this by hand in a bowl, combining the ingredients with a spatula or bench scraper.

Line two 13-by-18-inch baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator — it will have risen, but don’t be surprised if the rise isn’t significant — and let sit at room temperature for a few minutes so it’s not so stiff that you can’t roll it out. Place the dough on a thick silicone mat or a very lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out to a roughly 15-by-18-inch rectangle a little more than 1/8-inch thick, with the shorter side facing you. As you roll it in both directions, pause occasionally between rolls to relax the dough by patting it, lifting it and pulling it to straighten out any ripples.

Dot the surface of the dough with mounds of the filling. Using an offset spatula, gently spread the filling all over the surface of the dough.

With the short side of the dough facing you, fold the top third of the dough down over the middle third of the dough, then fold the bottom third up to cover the remaining dough.

Go over the dough with the rolling pin a couple of times, vertically, to flatten the edges, and stretch it a few more inches before cutting and shaping. You want a 12-by-16-inch rectangle (the longer side will be facing you). If any filling oozes out, use your offset spatula to remove it so your workstation doesn’t get sticky.

Using the straight edge of a ruler and a pastry cutter (or very gently using a small, sharp knife), trim any uneven edges. Cut the dough vertically into 16 1-by-12-inch-long strips. Starting from the end, gently wrap one strip around the tips of your index, middle and fourth finger (or just the index and middle if you’ve got strong hands), like a bandage, two or three times, letting the dough overlap and working cautiously so it doesn’t tear. Place your thumb on top of the wrapped dough, on the side closer to your wrist, to secure the shape, then loop the remaining end of the strand over and through the center of the bun, tucking it under at the base of the bun. You should have a rounded bun made out of bandage-like strips. The knotted part will be unexposed, hidden at the bottom.

Place each bun on the prepared baking sheets as you go, patting it down for a flatter shape. Space the buns evenly (you can eyeball it). Leave them to proof at room temperature, uncovered, for about 1 hour. They should expand and soften.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees.

Finish the buns: In a small bowl, using a fork or whisk, beat the egg together with 1 tablespoon water until well combined and frothy.

Grind the cardamom pods in a spice grinder, making sure you break down the tough outer husks. Transfer the ground spice to a small bowl and whisk it together with the sugar.

Lightly brush each bun with the egg wash, and generously sprinkle the tops of the buns with the cardamom sugar, using about 1/2 teaspoon per bun.

Bake for 8 minutes, then lower temperature to 375 degrees, rotate trays completely (180 degrees and top to bottom, bottom to top) and continue baking for an additional 12 minutes. The surface of the buns should be golden brown. (Some butter may seep out of the buns and pool — that’s normal — but if you’re worried that it will burn on the trays, cover the buns with parchment paper toward the end of baking, once they’ve reached the desired color.)

Let the buns cool for 10 minutes before eating, so the spiced, sweet buttery goo that pools around their edges can harden into crispy candylike edges, or let them cool entirely.



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