Ben Jackson

@jacksobc

Welsh. Former central banker. Mostly skeeting about my cooking and LFC. Mostly. He/him. Almost died once and I wrote about my accident and the role Zwift had in my rehabilitation:

2168 Siguiendo2095 Seguidores3164 Publicaciones

Bluesky

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Ben Jackson@jacksobc· 2d

My big handsome man is back, and #Reacher season 4 has got off to a rollicking start.

It’s a photo of Alan Ritchson as Reacher being held at gun point on the SEPTA Metro in Philly. His arms are spread wide. He is both large and handsome.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jul 7

It’s a still from the movie Proof of Life.

David Morse and Russell Crowe advancing through the jungle, apparently still searching for signs that Mitch McConnell is alive.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jul 7

It’s such a hollow “apology” because further down the thread she entertains the idea that things would be different if he was ahead in the polls.

A screenshot of two Bluesky posts:

Franky Pelvis @frankypelvis.bsky.so... • 1h
I do wonder if our calculus would be different if Platner was like 10 points ahead of Collins AFTER the allegations, and if he were the only Dem able to manage that. He was already slipping, and the fact that he's obviously going to lose now makes the decision to dump him pretty trivial.

Parker Molloy •
@parkermolloy.com •1h
Good question, and I'm really not sure
• • •

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jun 17

This is a great interview. Sod the football, you should binge watch the whole of Widow’s Bay right now just so you can read it. And who would have thought the star of this photo could write a brilliant horror comedy? Life is full of mysteries, eh? #TV 📺 #WidowsBay

It’s a photo of a woman dressed in a superb Babadook costume at a Halloween party. The guy sat to her left is in normal clothes, as is everyone at the rest of the party, we’re led to believe. It’s an all timer of a photo, and it is no surprise that Katie Dippold would write such a funny horror TV show.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jun 17

The finale of Widow’s Bay is superb. Caps a terrific season of TV with such fantastic writing that you’re immediately annoyed we’ll have to wait so long for the next episode. Apple TV knocking it out of the park again.

It’s a still from Widow’s Bay showing Matthew Rhys is as Tom. He’s dressed in a blue gillet and he’s smiling and squinting, expectantly looking out at some terrifying unknown future.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jun 13

Doing my annual rewatch of one of the greatest TV shows ever, Patriot. It feels even more relevant today than it did 10 years ago. This time round I’m loving the way that Michael Dorman’s face lights up every time he gets to speak to his wife. 📺 #series #TV #Patriot

It’s a promotional photo for the Amazon Prime Original, Patriot. It’s Michael Dorman wearing a suit, struggling to stay afloat, in a sea of jellyfish. It’s a spoiler for season 2, really.

Anyway, you should probably stop what you’re doing now and watch Patriot.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jun 7

@nigella.bsky.social’s Spring Chicken. A perfect accompaniment to a Spanish Chris.

It’s a photo of two chicken thighs sitting in a bowl, shot from above. To the right of the chicken is a green mass of peas, celery, lettuce, leek, and bacon. It’s been sprinkled with fresh tarragon. It’s sitting in a cider based liquor.

It’s the same dish in the cooking pan, only now there are four chicken thighs!

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jun 7

Having chicken with tarragon tonight so treated myself to a Spanish Chris. 7.5g tarragon leaves blender muddled with the spirits 45ml mezcal 15ml luxardo 22.5ml lime juice 15ml syrup 3 drops saline Strain the muddled tarragon then add with lime, syrup, and saline. Shake and serve. #cocktails 🍸🍹

It’s a photo of a chilled coupe glass with a lime green liquid. It’s sitting on a white marble work surface. In the background are bottles of mezcal, luxardo, and syrup. Two limes lie to the right of the glass.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jun 7

It’s a great salad

It’s a photo of Favorite Salad of All Time from Matty Matheson’s Home Style Cookery book.

SERVES:
4 TO 6
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES

What can I say? Is there anything better than a perfectly dressed lettuce leaf salad? No! The answer is no! With a bit of tuna and chopped vegetables, this is not just a side, it can be the main attraction.

0.5 cup (100 ml) white vinegar
1 cup (40 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
3½ tablespoons canola oil
3% tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
1 teaspoon sea salt
0.25 cup (40 g) green olives, pitted and chopped
0.3 cup (30 g) diced celery
0.25 cup (30 g) finely chopped shallot
½/ cup (55 g) sliced cooked green beans
½/ cup (30 g) diced cucumber
1 (5-ounce/142 g) can albacore tuna, drained and flaked
2 heads (200 g) green leaf lettuce
Freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, parsley, canola oil, and olive oil and blast it with an immersion blender until incorporated. Season with salt.

In a medium bowl, combine the green olives, celery, shallot, green beans, cucumber, and tuna and dress with half the dressing
In a separate medium bowl, toss the lettuce with the remaining dressing and season with salt and pepper.

Start by layering 3 leaves of lettuce in a tight pile and spoon over the tuna mixture to cover the lettuce. Repeat 3 times, until you have a mountain of salad; finish the top layer with the tuna mixture and splash the top with olive oil and salt.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jun 7

Trying to get back in the habit of making a big salad for lunch. This is a Matty Matheson special where I’ve replaced tuna with hot smoked salmon. 🍜🍽️ #foodsky #goodlunch

It’s a photo of a large white bowl, filled with a very green salad, shot from above. It’s contains gem lettuce, green beans, green olives, cucumber, celery, shallots, and hot smoked salad.

It’s dressed with a parsley vinaigrette with one part white vinegar, half part neutral oil, half part extra virgin olive oil.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· May 17

Looking like an exciting end to the women’s @sprleaguebballm.bsky.social final. Caledonia Gladiators have made a great comeback. Almost nothing better than a basketball game that’s close in the final two minutes. Live on BBC right now. 🏀⛹️‍♀️

It’s a photograph of a basketball game at the O2 Arena. It was a three point game at time of taking, with the Hatters attacking the Gladiators basket.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Apr 11

Yeah, from the gift links feed 30 mins ago, one worked and one didn’t.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Apr 7

The BBC has a slightly different list. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c5...

It’s a screenshot from the BBC News live blog. It reads:

Here is the 10-point plan, according to an Iranian state broadcaster:

1. Complete cessation of the war on Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen
2. Complete and permanent cessation of the war on Iran with no time limit
3. Ending all conflicts in the region in their entirety
4. Reopening the Strait of Hormuz
5. Establishing a protocol and conditions to ensure freedom and security of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz
6. Full payment of compensation for reconstruction costs to Iran
7. Full commitment to lifting sanctions on
Iran
8. Release of Iranian funds and frozen assets held by the United States
9. Iran fully commits to not seeking possession of any nuclear weapons
10. Immediate ceasefire takes effect on all fronts immediately upon approval of the above conditions

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Mar 24

Loved Ben Lerner’s Leaving the Atocha Station. A funny and moving account of an American living in Madrid around the time of the bombing. Perfect portrayal of residing in a foreign culture and trying to find your place. Just excellent writing. #booksky 📚

Book cover of Leaving the Atocha Station by Ben Lerner, featuring layered horizontal stripes in muted colours. They emanate from classical-style figures on the right, as if they have been distorted and smeared across the page. They take the shape of trains. The title and author’s name are in large pale blue capital letters across each one.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Mar 21

Just finished reading Flesh by David Szalay. Had a visceral reaction to it. Not sure I liked it, or anyone in the novel, but it did make me want to write. It made me want to make active choices in my life. #Booksky 📚📖

It’s a front cover to the book Flesh, by David Szalay. It features a red apple that has been eaten throughly to the core.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Mar 21

“I find it a bit strange and a bit difficult when I hear people speaking about the players at Liverpool and the performances, because I don’t think this season is even important from a football aspect for them, to be honest. It’s more about them personally and mentally.” - Caoimhin Kelleher #LFC

It’s a photo of Liverpool players standing united in a row. Arms round each other. There’s a full crowd in the background. A faint fog in the air. A team that have just been pronounced Premier League champions.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Mar 5

Haha, was that prompted by this?

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 26

Caught up with a British Indian mate of mine over text tonight. I was trying to offer him a job and he said he wants to be super rich like Elon Musk. I called Musk an idiot and white supremacist, and our conversation ended like this. I need to stop being friends with him, right?

It’s a screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation:

Him: Okay agree to disagree

Me: Nah, not really. I can't support white supremacists

Him: You will have to. He will soon be the world first trillionaire and have super powers.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 20

A friend from Singapore is visiting and she misses Asian food so we’re back on a Sichuan kick. Boiled Beef (水煮牛肉). Served it with some smashed cucumber. Really tender and flavoursome with that great mouthfeel from the mala. 🍜🍽️ #foodsky

It’s a photo of the boiled beef. It’s shot from above and its large white bowl filled with broth and thin slivers of fillet steak. Underneath is a bed of bean sprouts, cabbage, spring onions, and celery. It’s topped with mala, a mix of chopped chillies and Sichuan peppercorns. There’s a final garnish of spring onion greens.

It’s a photo of a smashed cucumber salad. It’s a pile of greenery in a pale bowl. At the bottom is a pool of the soy and black vinegar sauce. A trail of the sediment of the chilli oil snakes around the top of the cucumber and coriander.

It’s a photo of my wok with the broth bubbling away. To the left is the marinating beef. Below it is an open jar of chilli bean sauce.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 14

Technically, would we say this dessert is an ice cream dish or a banana dish? 🍜🍽️ #foodsky

It’s a photo of a small white bowl shot from above. It contains two scoops of ice cream and two slices of grilled banana. Some would say that they have been provocatively positioned, but I couldn’t possibly comment.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 11

This was a hit. Rodrigo described it as a vegetarian aguachile. It’s an ensalade de calabacitas y espárragos. Basically raw courgettes/zucchini and asparagus in a vinaigrette of lime juice, olive oil, and chillies. 🍜🍽️🌱 #foodsky

It’s a photo of a bowl with a bright green heap of food in it. I probably used too much asparagus as you can’t really see the ribbons of courgette underneath. Pooling round the vegetables is a light green-coloured liquid.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 8

Got to keep my Mexican buddy sustained in the manner to which he is accustomed, so we have a pico de gallo, salsa brava, and guacamole. He says it’s all properly legit, so I’m taking that as a huge win. 🍜🍽️ #foodsky

It’s a photo of four bowls sitting on a dining table, shot from above.

Top left is the salsa brava. Sliced onions and chillies that have been marinating in lime juice and olive oil overnight.

Top right is the pico de gallo. Chopped onions, avocado, tomatoes, and chillies, with a little lime juice, olive oil, and minced coriander.

Bottom left is a much larger bowl of guacamole. The mashed avocado is enveloping the onions, tomatoes, and chillies contained within.

Bottom right is a bowl of tortilla chips.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 7

It’s going to last me a while! 😂

It’s a photo of a pack of monosodium glutamate, resting against my trusty rice cooker. There are several quarter teaspoon worths of white powder in there.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 7

It’s a sad state of affairs in Welsh rugby when these are the odds on an England victory.

It’s a screen shot of the result odds for England v Wales in the Six Nations. If you put £1 on England to win those generous bookmakers will give you a 1p return.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 7

A friend from Guadalajara is staying with me, and look at Chivas go! Although, as I keep reminding him, Liverpool won their first five league games this season…

It’s a screenshot of Sofascore with the current league standings for the Liga MX. The team from Guadalajara are at the top with five wins from five games.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 6

Someone had to get up and write this in a politics blog for a national newspaper about the President of the United States of America. Every day seems to bring a new low. And there are *some* Americans that are absolutely fine with this.

It’s a screenshot from the Guardian’s US politics live blog. It reads:

2h ago 11.36 GMT

Trump posts racist video depicting
Obamas as monkeys

Hello and welcome to today's live coverage.
Donald Trump went on a massive social media spree overnight that included posting on Truth Social an election conspiracy video that ended with a clip depicting former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as monkeys.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 5

Dry Jan is definitely over. Celebrating with a Clover Club (sorta) 🍸🍹 60ml Plymouth gin 15ml Dolin vermouth 15ml lemon juice 15ml grenadine 30ml egg white Should be raspberry syrup but I don’t have any and I can’t be arsed making any. #cocktail #cocktails

It’s a photo of two coupe glasses containing a deep red drink. They’re shaken with egg white and a lovely pink foam it’s on top. They’re sitting on a white kitchen work surface and in the background are bottles of grenadine, vermouth and gin.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Feb 1

Roast lamb for dinner tonight. Been a while since I had a leg and I hadn’t realised how much I missed it. 🍽️🍜 #foodsky

It’s the leg of lamb before being roasted. It’s studded with garlic and rosemary. Anchovy fillets have also been stuffed in those holes. It’s sitting on the yellow paper from the butcher.

It is the roast leg of lamb just as it’s starting to rest. It’s sitting on a dark gray chopping board.

It’s a photo of the dining table laden with food. At the back is the partially carved lamb. Next to it is a Pyrex jug of the roasting juices. There is a small bowl of steamed green vegetables, as well as a large bowl of roast potatoes and broccoli. At the front of the photo are two metal bowls. The smaller bowl has a mint sauce, and the larger one has a salsa verde.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jan 31

Bit of General Tso’s chicken to watch with the game. 🍜🍽️

It’s a mountain of deep fried chicken bites sitting on a plate lined with kitchen towel.

It’s a photo of the finished dish in my wok. Those chunks of chicken and now coated in the sauce, garlic, ginger, spring onions, and dried chillies.

Ben Jackson@jacksobc· Jan 25

You can tell you’re in the Baltics when the airport lounge has a Jäegermeister dispenser. Next to all the spirits there is just a series of shot glasses, no tumblers.