Sunday Paper Recommends—Week of May 4, 2025

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This week at The Sunday Paper, we're sharing two movies, a newsletter, a book, 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

If you’re in the mood for a sharp, funny, and heartfelt binge, Netflix’s new eight-episode series The Four Seasons delivers. Co-created by Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, and Tracey Wigfield, the series reimagines Alan Alda’s 1981 film, delving into the complexities of marriage, friendship, and middle age among three couples navigating midlife transitions.

And don’t sleep on the original! Alan Alda’s The Four Seasons (1981) is also full of humor, wit, and relational depth. Alda writes and stars alongside Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, and Len Cariou, capturing mid-life crisis woes that are just as relatable now as they were four decades ago. Think of it as the perfect double feature. Start with Alda, end with Fey!

What Newsletter We’re Enjoying

We're so excited to share "The Optimist," a weekly newsletter from The Washington Post that is also on a mission to move you forward with news that is inspiring, insightful, and uplifting. We heard from The Washington Post Reporter and "The Optimist" Author Sydney Page about what makes this newsletter so special and impactful:

"I’m Sydney Page, and my reporting brings delight and humanity to the pages of The Washington Post. I cover heartbreaking stories that also have hope, unusual tales of connection and animals that save lives. I write about moments of stunning kindness and deep community – the stories people are craving more than ever. I’m now authoring The Post’s weekly newsletter, “The Optimist.” Subscribe to get a healthy dose of mood-boosting news and inspiration in your inbox every Sunday morning. I’ll share my favorite stories of the week, highlight thoughtful comments from readers and offer ideas and insights for bringing more optimism into your life."

What We’re Reading

Looking for a powerful call to action in these fractured times? Mary Fisher’s Uneasy Silence is an exploration of how silence enables injustice to thrive. Drawing on her own experiences as an activist and former First Lady of Florida, Fisher challenges readers to break the silence and engage in difficult, yet necessary, conversations for the sake of change. It’s a must read for anyone ready to trade comfort for courage!

Sunday Dinner Recipe

WHOLE ROASTED SNAPPER
Serves 2

Fish is a social affair in St. Lucia, and Sundays at the beach are a big grilling day for families. Friday nights, you’ll see whole snapper in full force. Up in Gros Islet, we have a big block party, and all they serve is grilled whole fish. It’s a vibe. The grills are set up like the old drums with grates on top. At any given time of day, six people will be grilling fish. “Peppa sauce or garlic sauce?” they ask you. They hand
over whatever the fisherman got that day, such as marlin, dorado, or of course, snapper, beautifully grilled. Sometimes they serve grilled corn or green fig salad and coleslaw. You take your foil-wrapped fish and head to the bar next door. Grab a cold Piton. Nobody has shoes on. Music is playing, and the energy is relaxed.

1 (2-pound) whole red snapper, cleaned with head on
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup Baron West Indian Hot Sauce
3 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 lemons, zested and thinly sliced in rounds
1 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
½ cup Garlic Oil
1 grapefruit, peeled and supremed
1 small green papaya (½ to 1 pound), peeled and thinly sliced
6 basil leaves, torn
6 mint leaves, torn
SERVING SUGGESTION
Steamed rice, Coconut Rice and Peas, or Callaloo

Heat the oven to 400°F.

Use a paring knife to score the snapper belly with crosshatches. In a small bowl, add ¾ cup of olive oil, the Baron hot sauce, and 2 tablespoons of the salt. Mix to combine well, then rub generously into the fish flesh and spoon over the outsides. Insert the sliced lemon rounds into the belly (make sure you’ve zested the lemons before slicing them).

Place the fish in a roasting pan, transfer to the oven, and bake until the skin develops a golden brown color and the flesh looks white and flaky, about 35 minutes. Use a cake tester or toothpick to check the fish. The flesh should flake easily with no resistance, and the fish should feel hot to the bone. Transfer
the fish to a serving plate.

In a small bowl, add the parsley, garlic oil, and lemon zest. Taste and season with the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt. Gently squeeze the supremed grapefruit to add a little juice to the bowl, then add the fruit itself. Add the papaya. Dress with more salt to taste, then add the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and the torn basil and mint leaves. Stir to incorporate.

Spoon the dressed papaya salad on top of the fish. Enjoy with steamed rice, Coconut Rice and Peas, or Callaloo.

GARLIC OIL
Makes 1 cup

This infused oil has a distinctive garlicky flavor but with a subtle sweetness, and when you add it to a dish, the garlic doesn’t overpower other flavors.

1 head garlic
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Cut the garlic head in half crosswise (leave the skin on; there’s flavor and nutrients in there). Add to a small pot and add the oil. Simmer over low heat until the garlic is tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic head. Squeeze the pulp into the oil for a robust, intense flavor (or use the pulp in a marinade for any seafood or meat). Store the oil in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

NOTE: Do not keep garlic oil at room temperature except when using, and don’t keep this oil beyond a week, as it can harbor harmful bacteria.

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