Latest news with #Tamarkin
Boston Globe
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
With these two chewing the fat, King Arthur Baking's new podcast is a delicious mix of wisdom, stories, and tidbits
Get Winter Soup Club A six-week series featuring soup recipes and cozy vibes, plus side dishes and toppings, to get us all through the winter. Enter Email Sign Up 'Things Bakers Know' is the new podcast from King Arthur Baking Co. Handout Advertisement The hosts begin the sourdough episode with a back-and-forth about naming starters, which many bakers do, and what they call their own. Hers is Jessica's Jazzy Starter, named for her by a colleague. She doesn't name anything, not even her cars, she says. His four starters are called 'Choices,' as in, it's your choice to feed your starter or you'll pay the consequences. We hear listeners' recorded voices with more names: Bread Pitt, Rise Up, Domer Simpson, Yeast Mode, The Baby (which the caller explains got confusing when she and her husband had a real baby). Advertisement The hosts obviously amuse each other. Their laughter is genuine. They're smart, a little sassy, and quick with quips. They sound like old friends, which in fact, they are. They knew each other before they started working together. Her laugh is a joy and makes you want to laugh with her. He says that recently he listened to a sped-up recording of a work meeting he couldn't attend. 'Your laugh at high speed is amazing,' he tells her. Jessica Battilana is cohost of the new King Arthur Baking podcast, 'Things Bakers Know.' Battilana, 46, is the staff editor at the company. She was raised in Woodstock, Vt., did a stint as a cheesemonger at Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge, earned a Grand Diplome from Tamarkin, 47, is the editorial director. He comes from Cincinnati and describes himself as 'Midwestern to my core.' He was a producer for 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,' worked at Time Out Chicago, and spent many years at the website David Tamarkin is cohost of the new King Arthur Baking podcast, 'Things Bakers Know.' The two are not together when they record, though segments have an armchair quality. They're in their homes with scripts, says Battilana, but if they stick too closely to them, they don't like how stiff they sound. In a discussion about how to reheat pizza, Battilana says that she reheats slices cheese-side down in a nonstick skillet, then turns them over to heat the crust. 'You're lying!' he says. 'That's not possible!' He tells her she's essentially heating the crust in pizza grease. 'What you're making is fondue.' Advertisement Guests appear now and then, including Zoë François of 'Zoe Bakes Cookies' chatted about her chocolate chip cookies on the podcast. Zoe Francois 'Begging them not to,' interjects Tamarkin, who ends every podcast with some variation of 'Just please follow the recipe.' On a biscuit podcast, after Battilana says that 'your biscuit vibe says a lot about you,' he describes his as fluffy with soft edges that have almost baked together in the pan; hers are flaky, buttery, crispy-edged, high in stature. He hears this question often: 'Why'd my biscuits come out so thin?' His answer: 'Because you put them in thin, baby.' We learn that before he makes biscuits, he freezes everything. Then a discussion about flour (ideally something with less gluten than all-purpose), butter (American, not European), grating frozen butter (the water in the butter forms pockets of steam during baking that create flakes). For their second season, 10 episodes will launch in September and run until just before Thanksgiving. Subjects include butter, Thanksgiving pies, and an entire episode on holiday baking questions. The duo is often riffing — about everything. In the pizza episode she says the Neapolitan trend is over. He sees a rise in super thin pizza, like 'Great Lakes tavern-style' in Chicago and surrounding areas. Later in an email, he tells me, 'It is a very thin round pizza, made with a dough that is enriched with butter, that is cut into squares and usually served in bars alongside beer. Very delicious!' Advertisement Both think slices that droop at the pointed end are out. He calls a more structured style 'a no-dip tip.' An ideal slice remains stiff when you hold it up. At one point when Tamarkin is explaining to listeners how to send in a question, he says, 'Jessica and I will use it to pontificate and have long conversations that have nothing to do with your question and eventually get around to answering your question.' Find 'Things Bakers Know,' on or Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or wherever you get podcasts. Subscribers will be notified about new episodes. You'll also see a link to send a voice message with a baking question. Sheryl Julian can be reached at
Int'l Business Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Jake Tamarkin on Restoring Life Insurance Ownership among Middle-Class Households
The crisis in the life insurance industry has been developing over the decades. The ownership of life insurance in the US is steadily declining, particularly among the middle class. A study published by LIMRA, an industry trade group, in 2024 highlighted a significant decrease in life insurance ownership from 72% in 1976 to 51% in 2024. The reasons behind this trend are many and complex. Jake Tamarkin, CEO of Everyday Life Insurance, explains, "One key reason fueling this trend is that it is simply more profitable for traditional agents to focus on wealthy clients. Consequently, the industry has moved away from serving those who need life insurance the most." Source: Everyday Life Insurance As a result, a record high 102 million American adults acknowledge they are under-protected, leaving their families financially vulnerable in the event of a tragedy. Tamarkin believes that the industry has not only lacked in serving the middle-class market but has systematically abandoned it. "This decline didn't happen overnight," explains Tamarkin. "Life insurance ownership among middle-income families has been decreasing for about 50 years. The decline began when companies shifted away from door-to-door sales, which had been an effective way to connect with families. Unfortunately, this method was never replaced with another substantial outreach model." Middle-class families often juggle between mortgages, childcare, and the care of aging parents, making them more financially vulnerable. Many of these families are in their 30s and 40s, belonging to what is known as the "sandwich generation." If something tragically happens to the breadwinner, the financial consequences can be severe for the entire family. Life insurance acts as a safety net in such situations, yet these middle-class families are the least likely to have insurance coverage. "Ownership of life insurance is essential," says Tamarkin. "When you are balancing the care of kids and parents simultaneously, the financial impact of losing income can be devastating across generations." Jake Tamarkin Everyday Life Insurance is creating an entirely new model to serve the middle market with an increased emphasis on accessibility, transparency, and convenience. "Our platform utilizes AI to help customers find the best value insurance policies customized to their individual needs," Tamarkin explains. "Everything is accessible 24/7 on their phones without the need for appointments or aggressive sales tactics, just straightforward guidance." Accessibility is vital for families who are balancing work and managing unpredictable schedules. Tamarkin points out that many customers are doing multiple jobs, making in-person financial consultations unrealistic. The self-service model of Everyday Life Insurance allows users to receive coverage recommendations without having to meet with an agent. However, human support is still available for those who prefer it. "We are not eliminating people from the process; we are simply giving people a choice," he states. "If they want to talk to someone, our team is readily available." Everyday Life Insurance eliminates the misconceptions that life insurance is expensive and unaffordable for the middle-class market. In reality, many people are guided towards costly products by commission-driven insurance agents. Everyday Life Insurance operates as an independent platform that allows the company to offer the most affordable and high-value policies. Tamarkin states, "There's no law that says an agent has to sell you the cheapest policy, and often, they won't. That's where we come in. We provide access to a selection of what we believe are the best insurers so you can choose the plan that best fits your needs." The company's transparent and values-based approach has earned trust across the US, boasting a high rating of reviews. Tamarkin believes that their success demonstrates how life insurance can be delivered ethically, efficiently, and affordably. "Our mission is to make life insurance accessible again for everyone who needs it," Tamarkin concludes. "We are not here to build portfolios for the top 1%. Our goal is to help families navigate their worst moments. That is the kind of life insurance that matters, and we are restoring it for the people who need it the most."
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School Committee candidates quizzed on topics
ANDOVER — School Committee candidates told voters how they would handle issues in the district during a public forum last Wednesday night. The Andover Candidates Forum was held at Memorial Hall Library and hosted by the League of Women Voters of Andover-North Andover. Four candidates are vying for two School Committee seats in the town election March 25. Those candidates include two current members, Emily DiCesaro and Sandis Wright. Christopher Shepley and Jacob Tamarkin are looking to unseat the incumbents. It is the only contested race on the ballot. During the forum, the candidates were questioned on a range of topics, including student mental health, bus cameras, balancing the budget, and how they would ensure curriculum consistency in district schools. One question revolved around how each candidate would categorize the relationship between the current School Committee, superintendent and Andover Education Association and how to improve the relationship while making sure students are a top priority. Wright said there is an opportunity to improve the relationship between the union, administration and School Committee but it takes all three to do so. He said he reached out to the Andover Education Association president last summer to see where there were shared commonalities. Wright said he encouraged the union to work with the superintendent. DiCesaro agreed it is important to strengthen that relationship and said she has seen more communication between administrators and the union. She said there are now informal forums at the schools to encourage educators to speak. 'We can find ways to find common ground,' DiCesaro said. 'We are all here for the students. I think remembering that is really important as we start to build that relationship back up.' Shepley said teachers' morale is low. 'We need to understand our educators in town have suffered years of disrespect from the School Committee,' he said. 'I feel they are not being heard.' Shepley referenced a no-confidence vote in Superintendent Magda Parvey last spring. He said it was 'largely ignored by the School Committee' and thought it was a big mistake not doing anything. Tamarkin said other communities bring in mediators after strikes and it is something he would like to do. Tamarkin added that while he thinks the committee wants to support Parvey, she can be undermined by good intentions. He said she's the chief executive and it needs to be understood. 'Too often it's unclear who the real authority figure is,' Tamarkin said. 'I would love to see the committee do more to empower her more.' About the candidates DiCesaro moved to Andover in 2013, drawn to the schools and the town's commitment to education. She has served on the School Committee since 2022. DiCesaro is a professional in human-centered user experience design for IBM. She is proud of what the committee has accomplished during her time, advocating for responsible budgeting, and strengthening academic programs and social-emotional support for students. 'It's been an honor to serve as an independent voice representing the citizens of Andover,' DiCesaro said. Shepley is a lifelong resident of Andover. He graduated from Andover High School in 2024 and is now a student at UMass Lowell. Shepley is also a member of the Ballardvale Historic District Commission. 'Our schools need leadership that listens, plans responsibly and puts students first,' Shepley said. He said too often decisions are made behind closed doors and the budget is mismanaged. Shepley said his campaign is built on fiscal responsibility, renewed academic excellence and giving a voice to the community. Tamarkin said he moved to Andover in 2017, seeing a chance to provide his family with better opportunities. He is the CEO of an innovative, investor-backed start-up and worked on Wall Street for 20 years. Tamarkin said he wants to use his financial expertise to help the committee. 'Our schools are not reaching their potential and I can help,' Tamarkin said. Wright has been an Andover resident for 15 years and a School Committee member since 2022. He is vice chair of the committee. Wright is a managing director for Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. He wants to build on his experience and what has been accomplished during his first term. 'What we need is experience,' Wright said. The ballot Voters will also cast their votes in four uncontested races. Town Moderator Sheila Doherty will run for reelection to a one-year term. Select Board member Melissa Danisch and Vice Chair Alex Vispoli are running uncontested for two three-year terms. Steven Pekock is running for a three-year term on the Trustees of the Punchard Free School while Jennifer Hoenig is seeking a five-year term with the Andover Housing Authority.
