Sunday Paper Recommends—Week of February 9, 2025

By The Sunday Paper Team
February 08, 2025

This week at The Sunday Paper, we're sharing a new book, podcast, and comedy 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 Reading

In honor of Black History Month, we’re reading Fearless and Free—a memoir written by Josephine Baker, the iconic dancer, singer, and civil rights activist who rose from poverty to become a celebrated performer in Paris during the 1920s. Although first published in France in 1949, it’s now available in English for the first time. Beyond her entertainment career, Baker was deeply involved in political and civil rights activism. During World War II, she served as a spy for the French Resistance, using her fame to gather intelligence and support the Allied cause. After the war, she continued her activism, notably speaking at the March on Washington alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Read about the extraordinary life of this influential woman in her own words.

What We're Listening To

And Now Love is a podcast hosted by Cynthia Marks, which delves into the profound teachings of her late husband, Dr. Bernard Bail, M.D., a psychoanalyst who viewed love not merely as an emotion but as a fundamental aspect of human existence, intricately woven into our nightly dreams. His “Love, Dreams, Imprint” paradigm offers a unique framework for navigating all types of relationships amidst the unconscious forces at play in the mind. Listen on Spotify.

What We're Watching

It’s that time of year again! The 59th Superbowl—the most-watched sports event on television—will be held February 9 in New Orleans, featuring the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs (who have taken home the trophy the last two years in a row). It’s sure to be a star-studded event with Taylor Swift cheering on boyfriend, Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, a half-time show featuring recent Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar, and a rumored appearance by sitting president Donald Trump. Tune in live at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on FOX.

Looking for comic relief after a rough couple of weeks? Check out Amy Schumer’s new film, Kinda Pregnant, streaming on Netflix now. Schumer’s character, Lainy, feigns pregnancy after her childhood friend, Kate, gets pregnant and the expected hilarity ensues. When Lainy meets the man of her dreams while wearing her fake belly, an already sticky situation goes off the rails.

Sunday Dinner Recipe

Double Truffle Fries

This recipe will help you lean into the finer things in life and the side of yourself that wants the cake, and to eat it too. These fries are baked, not fried, and are caramelized with coconut sugar, making them healthy yet so dang delicious.

6 russet potatoes, washed, peeled, and julienned

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil 1 teaspoon truffle salt

1 teaspoon dried dill

1⁄2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon coconut sugar (sub organic cane sugar for coconut allergy)

1 garlic bulb, top sliced off (for truffle sauce)

1 cup (240 ml) plain crema

(page 129)

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon (15 ml) truffle oil, or 1⁄2 teaspoon truffle powder

1⁄4 cup (5 g) minced fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine the potatoes, 11⁄2 tablespoons (22.5 ml) of the olive oil, truffle salt, dried dill, white pepper, and coconut sugar in a large bowl, and toss until all the potato pieces are coated. Arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet; if they seem a little too crowded, you can divide them between two prepared baking sheets so they can evenly brown. Place the garlic bulb, cut side up, in the corner of the baking sheet, and drizzle the remaining 1 1⁄2 teaspoons of olive oil over the top. Bake for 25 minutes, remove from the oven and stir, then pop back in for 20 to 25 more minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and golden brown, and the garlic is soft and fragrant. You may need to pull the garlic out early, so keep an eye on it.
Make the truffle sauce: Place the crema in your high-powered blender. Squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves from their bulb into the blender, add the lemon zest and juice, salt, and truffle oil, and blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Add the parsley and pulse four to six times to incorporate without changing the color of the sauce to green. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and set aside.
Once the potatoes have become soft and slightly golden brown, remove from the oven and serve warm with the truffle sauce.