Use the damn palmolive (homemade raspberry oreos)

Okay, my friend Danny told me that the Thing To Do with my newsletter was:
Implore people to forward my very good newsletter (please!)
Put in a link so that if you receive this newsletter because it was forwarded to you, you can subscribe!
Now that this housekeeping is taken care of, lets move on to what you are here for.
Soap Talk
Listen, I want to be a good person. Most of us do. The world is fucked and we know it. But we cannot save it with our dish soap. You, like me, may have bought environmentally friendly dish soap in the near past. You have some on your sink right now? Just do yourself a favor. Throw it away. Get rid of it. (Or FINE use it all and then buy regular dish soap)
There are two primary reasons we buy this dish soap: 1. something that smells nice and promises a luxurious (???) dish washing experience, and 2. the hint that by buying this thing, we are doing something. I understand the appeal of dish soap, or trash bags, that tell you that you can help the world easily—that by purchasing them you are doing a good and right thing. I am profoundly guilty of wanting to do "the right thing" but being too tired to go out, too absorbed with my own small life and petty difficulties to do anything substantive.
I have excused myself for a long time because I have said I am too busy going to grad school, and working full time, and, besides, I say "I'm a good friend." But being a good friend is not a radical act, it is not a political act. It does not change the balance of power in the world. Supporting people you care about when they need it is, in fact, the line you must cross to be able to say you love them. It is personal, and good, but it is not a substitute for reaching outwards into the world, and, perhaps, doing something that may not directly benefit us. Just as being a friend will not change the balance of power in the world, nor will our soap.

Now, to return to my first point: it doesn't matter what brand it is, all dish soap smells kind of the same anyway (with the exception of blue soap, which always smells indefinably... blue). I have been deceived before by descriptions of "tangerine mint" or whatever. I've bought them, because I love tangerine and I love mint, who doesn't? But dish soap is not perfume. No matter how many dishes I wash, or how much dish soap I use, my hands will still smell like garlic after I cook dinner. We want to believe that we can scent our hands while doing objectively the most annoying part of cooking (cleaning) and so we say "well, it costs a little more for the fancy dish soap, but it's worth it! look, it's even vaguely good for the environment!" And shit, I'm no scientist, but the dish soap cannot be making that much of a difference. And besides, every time I wind up with method, or whatever the whole foods dish soap is in my house, I use it far faster AND MY HANDS STILL SMELL LIKE GARLIC!
All I want to say is: stop buying fancy dishsoap. No matter what anyone says, whatever is in palmolive gets grease of your dishes much better than fancy stuff, and even if it comes in weird scents like "lavender lime" (dish soap, it smells like dish soap) you will not be missing out on the smell of fig leaf and geranium or whatever because that dish soap ALSO just smells like dish soap AND you have to wash your dishes twice! The soap we buy isn't a sign of our virtue, and also it doesn't smell better once you're rubbing it on dirty dishes. Just buy the damn palmolive.
Also, get rid of the fancy thin trash bags. They're a scam, they should be illegal.
What I'm Reading
It's February: How long til black future month?
And, some real life horror: if you haven't made time to read the completely wild Daniel Mallory profile in the New Yorker........ it is good. I particularly like the part where there is a Poirot novel written about how he's a sociopath.
Front Desk is a sweet middle grade novel that deals with big issues (racism, poverty, immigration) with a endlessly inventive heroine, who is determined to help. It's a fun read, and very fast.
Raspberry Oreos

(for valentines day or just because)
This recipe comes from the incredible cookbook BraveTart, I made some adaptations to the filling, but it is Stella Parks' recipe. It takes about twoish hours all together. The recipe is fairly simple, but the rolling out is time consuming and requires a great deal of cocoa powder. Also, this recipe is not vegan but could, I think, be veganized very easily. If you have a substitute that you use for ghee or clarified butter, you will need that for the filling, but for the wafers any butter substitute should do. (I think that coconut oil would probably work for the filling, but don't let it get too warm!)
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Wafers:
4 ounces unsalted butter (about 8 tablespoons; 115g), creamy and soft, about 68°F (20°C)
3 1/2 ounces sugar (about 1/2 cup; 100g)
2 ounces golden syrup (about 3 tablespoons; 55g), such as Lyle’s (NOTE: I didn't realize until after I made these that golden syrup and corn syrup are different. I used corn syrup (I have this fancy stuff with vanilla in it because... whole foods) and that worked just fine. Don't stress if you only have corn syrup!)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon (1g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract (optional) (NOTE: I didn't use this, they were fine)
5 3/4 ounces bleached all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups, spooned; 165g)
1 1/4 ounces Dutch-process cocoa powder (about 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon; 35g), such as Cacao Barry Extra Brute, plus more for dusting
For the Filling:
6 ounces unsalted butter (about 12 tablespoons; 170g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
8 1/2 ounces powdered sugar (about 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon; 240g)
OR 1 oz bag freeze dried raspberries (or 1/2 oz freeze dried strawberries)
OR to make the raspberry filling that I used:
Get a 1 oz bag of freeze dried raspberries. Grind them with a mortar and pestle or food processor very thoroughly. Put them through a sieve to remove seeds. Put them through a sieve again because there will almost certainly still be seeds. Seriously try to remove all the seeds. (Alternately, use half of a 1 oz bag of freeze dried strawberries and run them through a food processor, no need to deseed but it won't be as rad of a color) Use 10 ounces of powdered sugar and no vanilla extract, and follow the directions for the regular filling.

Directions
For the Chocolate Wafer Dough: Combine butter, sugar, golden syrup, baking soda, salt, and coconut extract (if using) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to moisten, then increase to medium and beat until fluffy and light, about 5 minutes, pausing to scrape bowl and beater about halfway through.
Sift flour and cocoa together. (If using cup measures, spoon into the cups and level with a knife before sifting.) With mixer running on low speed, sprinkle flour/cocoa mixture into butter mixture. It will seem dry and mealy at first, but continue mixing to form a smooth dough. Knead against sides of bowl to form a smooth ball, then divide in half and flatten into disks. Use immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate up to 1 week; soften cold dough 30 minutes at room temperature, then knead on a bare surface until pliable and smooth.
For the Wafers: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C). On a cocoa-dusted surface, roll a portion of dough into a 7-inch square. Sprinkle both sides with cocoa and roll until 1/4 inch thick; generously dust with cocoa and continue rolling to 1/8 inch (see note). Alternatively, roll dough to 1/8 inch using an embossed pin. Slide an offset spatula under dough to loosen, brush away excess cocoa, and stamp into 1 1/2–inch rounds.
Arrange on a parchment-lined aluminum baking sheet, leaving 1/4 inch between wafers. Gather scraps, knead, re-roll, and cut as before. Repeat with remaining dough as well. Any remaining scraps can be discarded or baked to grind for crumbs. Bake until wafers are firm and dry, about 15 minutes, and cool to room temperature on the baking sheet. Fill immediately or store in an airtight container up to 1 week at room temperature.
For the Filling: Before making the filling, flip half the chocolate wafers upside down so they can be filled immediately after preparing the filling, as it will quickly set.
In a 2-quart stainless steel saucier, (WB NOTE: I used a small pan??? seemed fine) completely melt butter over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring with a heat-resistant spatula, while butter hisses and pops; if you notice brown bits forming along the edges, reduce heat to low. Continue cooking and stirring until butter falls silent, then strain into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Add vanilla and salt, followed by powdered sugar. Mix on low to moisten, then increase to medium and beat until creamy and soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a heavy-duty pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip and use immediately; this filling cannot be made in advance.
To Sandwich the Wafers: Pipe a generous dollop of filling in the center of each upturned wafer (just shy of 1 tablespoon, or a little more than 1/4 ounce). Sandwich with remaining halves, transfer to an airtight container, and stand at room temperature until filling has set, about 30 minutes. The cookies will keep for up to 1 week at room temperature, up to a month in the fridge, or 3 months if frozen; serve at room temperature.

If you've made it this far, I have a question for you: TinyLetter's weird formatting issues are starting to drive me up the wall, and I am contemplating a migration, so now would be a good time to unsubscribe if you don't wish to be migrated (not that I want you to leave!) Anyway, these oreos are wildly good. The cookies alone are really bitter and bad tasting, but with the raspberry filling? So choice.