From Fenway Franks to Boston Baked Beans, Massachusetts certainly has its share of iconic regional foods. I’ve lived in Massachusetts for more than half of my life and spent most of my earlier years in neighboring New Hampshire, and by now, I consider myself to be a Bay Stater. Over the years, I’ve sampled many of Massachusett’s iconic foods, but have somehow never gotten around to trying the legendary Boston Cream Pie.
I’m not sure if it’s because I don’t really enjoy cream-filled pastries or if I just prefer other desserts like cookies and cake, but I have to admit that I’ve never really had the urge to order a Boston Cream Pie or Boston Cream Donut.
However, I do recognize that many people enjoy this popular sweet treat made up of vanilla cake, creamy vanilla pastry, and chocolate ganache.
Local lore says that the Boston Cream Pie was invented at the Parker House Hotel (now the Boston Omni Parker House) back in 1856. The chef credited with creating this masterpiece was named Chef Sanzian (sometimes written as Chef Anezin).
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There is a lot of debate about whether this treat is actually a pie or a cake. If you have never ordered a Boston Cream Pie before, you may be surprised at what arrives at your table. It turns out that cakes were once baked in pie tins, giving the Boston Cream Pie its interesting (and often confusing) name.
Like many Boston legends, the Boston Cream Pie has gone by several aliases over the years, including American Pudding Pie and Chocolate Cream Pie. It may have also been called American Pudding Cake Pie at one point.
No matter if you consider it a cake or a pie, there is no disputing the popularity of this iconic dessert. It is not only a favorite with the tourists, but also with local Bostonians. To this day, the Boston Cream Pie continues to be a best-seller at the Parker House, where they even serve up in martini form!
And if that alone doesn’t speak volumes about the pie’s popularity, this fun fact sure does: in 1996, state officials declared the Boston Cream Pie the “Official Massachusetts State Dessert.”
I guess this many people can’t be wrong. I may have to try one and decide for myself!
Do you love Boston Cream Pie? You can order the original Boston Cream Pie at the Parker House or try one at these other local restaurants.
Are there other iconic foods that locals rave about but you have yet to try? Check out our list of 14 Iconic Foods In Massachusetts That Will Have Your Mouth Watering and see how many you have eaten.
If you consider yourself a proud Bay Stater and want to show off your Massachusetts pride, these fantastic products from Wear Your Roots will be right up your alley! Use our special code Massachusetts10 to get an exclusive discount on your purchase!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
A new report estimates 7.35% of jobs in Massachusetts are at risk of displacement from artificial intelligence, the highest share in the nation.
Aerials of Seaport District always in a growth mode of construction. (David L Ryan/Globe Staff)
By Annie Jonas
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3 minutes to read
A new Tufts University study finds that Massachusetts is the most vulnerable state in the nation to job disruption from artificial intelligence — a shift researchers say could reshape the state’s workforce and economy.
The report, “Will Wired Belts Become the New Rust Belts? AI and the Emerging Geography of American Job Risk,” released in March, estimates that 7.35% of jobs in Massachusetts are at risk of displacement in the near term due to artificial intelligence, the highest among U.S. states. Boston, one of the nation’s leading innovation hubs, is also among the most exposed cities, with an estimated $20 billion in annual income losses tied to AI-driven job disruption.
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“The jobs loss will be among more educated, typically higher-paying jobs,” said Christina Filipovic, head of research at Digital Planet, the research center at Tufts’ Fletcher School that completed the study. That distinction marks a stark departure from past waves of automation, which primarily displaced lower-wage, manual labor workers.
Which jobs are most at risk?
The report finds that AI exposure — or how much AI tools can reach or influence a job — is highest in occupations centered around data, analytical or language-based skills, and cognition — the same kinds of knowledge work that dominate Boston’s economy.
AI job vulnerability, by comparison, goes a step further: it measures how likely AI exposure will lead to job loss or major restructuring.
Highly vulnerable roles in Greater Boston include: software developers, market research analysts and marketing specialists, management analysts, and customer service representatives. Software developers alone could see more than 12,700 jobs affected in the Greater Boston region.
Bhaskar Chakravorti, dean of global business at The Fletcher School, describes the moment as a paradox: “The occupations that are seeing the greatest productivity boosts are also the occupations that are seeing the greatest job risk, and Boston is high in all those areas,” he said.
“Boston is really interesting. It’s almost a Petri dish for how AI is going to increase productivity and also potentially change the way people do work and maybe displace a certain proportion of people,” Chakravorti said.
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On the other end, jobs least exposed to AI include roles like cement masons and concrete finishers, cooks, ship engineers, and ambulance drivers — positions that rely more on physical labor than cognitive tasks.
Why Massachusetts stands out
Researchers point to the structure of Massachusetts’ economy as a key reason for its high exposure. The state’s concentration of universities, tech firms, and innovation mean a large share of workers are employed in highly educated, knowledge-based roles susceptible to AI.
“In addition to the high education levels, Boston in particular is such an innovative city … a lot of the tech industry that’s in the area makes Massachusetts a bit more vulnerable,” Filipovic said.
Chakravorti added that the region’s role as a hub for education and research puts it at the center of the transition.
“Boston right now is at the cutting edge of figuring out how much AI to use in the classroom in order to prepare students for jobs that are going to include and involve AI,” he said.
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A warning sign for the nation
The implications of AI’s arrival extend far beyond Massachusetts.
The report estimates that nationwide, between 9.3 million and 19.5 million jobs are at risk of being replaced by AI, with up to $1.5 trillion in annual income loss.
The report identified a group of “Wired Belt” regions — including cities like Philadelphia, Atlanta and Phoenix — that could face similar job disruptions.
“In many ways, Boston is a canary in the coal mine, and we’ll see similar things playing out in knowledge-intensive cities,” Chakravorti said.
The researchers say the goal of the report is not just to measure risk, but to prompt legislative and societal action.
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“What we were most curious about was the nature of job loss … and then also to help policymakers at various levels figure out what the best path is forward,” Filipovic said.
Chakravorti was more blunt about the urgency for the city and state to meet the moment.
“We are watching this hurricane hit us … and we are largely sitting on our hands in terms of doing something about it,” he said.
Is your job vulnerable to AI?
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Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The women said they were frightened, but they didn’t show it Wednesday in a Massachusetts courtroom as they watched the teacher who allegedly preyed on them when they were students at the posh Miss Hall’s School plead not guilty to rape.
There is a heavy police presence in a section of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, on Wednesday afternoon due to what authorities are describing only as an “ongoing incident.”
“There is currently a heavy police presence on Salem Road due to an ongoing incident,” Tewksbury police said in a social media post just before 1 p.m. “Motorists are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes if possible. Please allow emergency personnel the space they need to respond safely and efficiently”
No further details were released. Police said they will provide updates as more information becomes available.
