Sunday Paper Recommends—Week of May 25, 2025
This week at The Sunday Paper, we're sharing a television series, a news special, an expert to follow, and a recipe that we believe will add inspiration to your days. We hope these suggestions open your heart and mind and encourage you to come together for meaningful conversations.
What We’re Watching
Are you a fan of The Handmaid’s Tale? After eight years, this week’s episode is the finale to the 6 season long series. The episode airs on Tuesday, May 27, showcasing its usual themes of freedom, resistance, and survival in a world ruled by oppression. According to the episode's official synopsis, June will reflect on her experiences in Gilead and decide what to do next. It’s sure to be a thought-provoking episode that ties up the series and invites reflection on justice and human resilience.
And that's not all! Tune into NBC Sunday, May 25th at 10am EST for NBC's Meet the Press. Kristen Welker hosts former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy and author, Dr. Arthur C. Brooks, for individual interviews to discuss America's Mental Health Crisis. Stay tuned for a follow up panel with Lori Gottlieb, psychotherapist and author, Jean Twenge, psychologist and author, and Nedra Glover Tawwab, therapist and author, who will discuss youth mental health, social media, and technology.
Who We're Following
If you're looking for smart, accessible health advice from a trusted expert, Dr. Rachel Rubin is a must-follow on social media. A board-certified urologist and sexual health specialist, she breaks down complex topics surrounding women’s health with clarity, humor, and compassion. Whether you're curious about hormones, pelvic health, or better conversations around sex and wellness, her feed is equal parts education and empowerment. In an interview with Peter Attia, Dr. Rubin shares more about menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), take a listen!
Sunday Dinner Recipe
In honor of Jewish American Heritage Month, we're sharing a recipe from Joan Nathan's cookbook, My Life in Recipes: Food, Family, and Memories, where she shares global Jewish cuisine recipes to look back at her family’s history.
Black and White Cookies
Makes about 30 cookies
For the Dough
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, preferably European style, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
For the Frosting
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup high quality unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with the granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla at medium speed. Add the salt and flour, and mix at low speed until they're just incorporated; add a tablespoon or so of cold water if the dough does not come together. Cut into two balls, cover them with plastic wrap, and chill them for a few hours overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Bring the dough almost to room temperature, put flour on the rolling pin, and roll out the dough into a large rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Cut it with round cookie cutters about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Put the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about an inch between the cookies. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are slightly brown on the edges, rotating the sheets halfway through. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting. Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 3 tablespoons water in a medium bowl, adding more water a teaspoon at a time if needed to make a smooth, spreadable, but not too runny frosting.
- Spoon half of the frosting into a small bowl, and stir in the cocoa powder and a teaspoon or so of water, to make a spreadable frosting.
- Stir the remaining teaspoon of vanilla into the white-frosting bowl.
- Once the cookies have cooled, using an offset spatula or a kitchen knife, spread half of each cookie with the white frosting and the other half with the cocoa frosting—or be unconventional and spread the two colors as you wish.
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