Keeping Barman Appy (Part 1)

First things first. I’m not a geek. I don’t do gadgets for the sake of it. But I do love a bit of cool tech that is useful to me and makes my life easier.

This Blog Post is about the Apps/Software that make my Working life so easy.  I’ve broken it into 2 parts. 

I’m a Windows user, I have a Win 7 lappy, a Win 8 Tablet…but I also have an iPhone 6+ which, if you are in Business…is THE coolest, most productive phone you could ever own. I have them all talking to each other seamlessly. Which means, no matter where I am, or what gadget I have with me, I always have my “office” close to hand.  Whether that’s today while I’m typing this in Starbucks, or like yesterday while I was at home catching up with X Factor and Casualty!

 

Office 365 (Windows)

My whole business is run from O365. Everything! Emails, Calendar, Events, Meetings, Tasks, To Do Lists, Contacts etc etc are managed in Outlook.  All my design work is done in Publisher, which I LOVE.  I’ve been using that since the old days in 2003..if not earlier!  I also do use Excel and Word a little bit, but Outlook and Publisher I couldn’t live without.

Hot tip for Outlook.  If you find yourself typing the same types of emails over and over again, save the text as AutoText.  I have 17 different ones set up…inc 3 different signatures. Yes there’s a separate Signature option, but Autotext is way quicker!!  My Email writing time has been cut by probably 4/5 hours per week. Maybe more! Even from when I was Cut and Pasting from a previous email/word doc.  Thank you to Liz Dolman from Double Click Training for this hot tip.

 

Outlook (iPhone)

I love my iPhone 6+. I don’t like Android and Windows phones are behind the times app wise still. So my emails were okay while on the move using Apples native Mail app, but they still lacked in the attachment department. Then I found Outlook for the iPhone probably about a year ago. It syncs perfectly with O365. But the best it is being able to attach Dropbox/One Drive files so easily. I can send quotes, Cocktail Lists etc etc while on the move, even during an event! Being quick off the mark gives me such an advantage.  Outlook for iPhone is a million miles better than Apples Mail app in my opinion. Give it a go for 2 weeks…see how you get on. It is different to manage, but once you’ve mastered it, you’ll love it I’m sure.

 

TaskTask (iPhone)

For such a long time, Outlook Tasks caused me such a headache. Something so useful on Windows, was a real nightmare on the iPhone…or just being on the move! The native Reminders app, quite frankly is a pile of pooh. There was nothing that synced with Outlook. I didn’t want to migrate everything from Microsoft to Google…as I just don’t like Google Docs/Calender etc.  I did play about with ToDoist for a bit…but it just creates a load of extra unnecessary work. I even tried using Evernote as a Task List and Event Note taker. That works for a bit, but no where near as good as Outlook and again creates extra work.  Outlook Tasks ROCK.

Then came along my saviour. TaskTask. Every little tiny detail from Outlook Tasks (even the flags, categories (and colours!), reminder times, work completed and importance level) sync perfectly.  As in absolutely perfectly. Every single little note about an event or enquiry is to hand, no matter where I am – without creating any extra work at all. No flicking between Evernote and Outlook emails, its all right there. TaskTask is my favvy app for work on my iPhone.

TaskTaskApp

 

Xero (Windows & iPhone)

Xero has completely transformed my business. I can see my P&L instantly. I can see where I need to cut costs or how much I’ve spent on Coffee in a given month.  It’s also enabled me to go 100% Paperless.  As all my invoices and receipts are sent and stored in the cloud. (more about that in the next app).  and my PayPal Card Reader also syncs. Yes there is Sage and numerous other bookkeeping software, but they are nothing like Xero. Nothing! Even my Epos all links in.  So many other business programs link in to Xero too.

For more info; contact Nikki Butlin at Athena Business Services. She’ll have you looked up in no time.

 

TinyScan Pro

I use Tinyscan everyday! It takes a piccy of receipts and invoices and saves them as PDFs before automatically syncing them to a Dropbox folder, or emailed directly into Xero awaiting reconciliation.  Yes there’s Receipt Bank that does the same job (ish) but from my experience you still have to reconcile transactions and wait 2/3 days for receipts to be processed. Plus there’s a subscription fee based on usage…my level would be circa £20 a month).  TinyScan Pro for a one off £3.99 eliminates all that faff. Take a pic of a receipt, 5 seconds later you can reconcile the transaction in Xero and bin the receipt! Job Done.

 

IFTTT

I mentioned IFTTT two blog’s ago. In truth, I’m still learning all its capabilities for new recipes, but the amazing thing for me at the moment is to have all my Email Notifications turned off, but so I don’t miss a new enquiry, IFTTT texts me the moment an enquiry form drops into my Outlook inbox, so even during an event…if I get 5 mins…I can send a quote with attachments from Outlook on my Phone! (I don’t even have to type the quote out, as I have a standard Autotext options set up on the iPhone).  Other uses for IFTTT have been Emailing Tweets I’ve favourited to myself to remind me of things. There are literally 1000s of useful productive things that IFTTT can do.  It links to every major Platform/App/Service you could think of!

 

That’s enough for Part 1, I’ll have Part 2 with you by the end of the week with even more cool Apps that I use on a daily basis.

 

What IFTTT recipes do you use?! Do you have any recipes that could help my readers in their daily lives?  Please comment below to share the love.

Mojito

How to make a Mojito…StBs Way!

First off, lets clear a few things up.  It’s pronounced Mo-Hee-Toe…not Mo-Gee-Toe!!!  Now that we’ve got that out the way, lets crack on with the recipe and how you can make it for yourself.

A plethora of Mojito’s lined up ready to roll.

A Mojito is one of my favvy Summer drinks.  Its my go to instead of the Pimms and Lemonade for your summer BBQs.  It’s sooooooo simple to make and soooooo tasty, it makes me wonder why so much Pimms is actually sold during the Summer!

The key to any good Mojito…like any other Cocktail out there…is the ingredients. Get the best Rum you can afford without going over the top.  For example, Havana 3yo for £19 a bottle will make an infinitely better tasting drink than a £14 bottle of Bacardi. However, there is no need to invest £40 in a bottle of El Dorado 12yo…thats a sipper!!

Also, instead of nipping off to your local supermarket to get Turkish Mint and Limes from China, hunt out your local Fruit and Veg shop.  Not only is it cheaper, but the quality and freshness is amazing! Thirst First Mobile Cocktail Bars spends about £30 a week with our local Fruit and Veg Lady. Out of interest, I did the exact same shop online with my Supermarket, it came out at £79.  The mint alone which cost me £5 with my Greengrocer, cost me £23 online! The mint I know was cut fresh the day before, the mint online probably a week old at least and will have lost most of its aroma. #TrueStory What an advert to #ShopLocal!

Anyway’s, here’s what you’ll need;

50ml Light or Gold Rum
1 big fat vivid green, juicy Lime
15ml Sugar Syrup
12 fresh and aromatic Mint Leaves
75ml Sparkling Water
Cubed Ice

Yeah Cubed Ice!! I said it. Cue the wrath of Bartenders UK Wide. Well not all of them, but there is a massive movement towards Crushed Ice in the UK. Again, there is no right or wrong, just your own way! I like to be authentic (ish) so I use Cubed Ice. Simple as that really.

So how do you make it;

Roll the Lime to release the Juices, then cut into 6 wedges.
Squeeze 3/4 of them into a Glass. You need about 25ml of juice, which is about a little fingers worth.
Pour in 15ml of Sugar Syrup/Gomme which can be found in the booze aisle of most supermarkets for about £4. (15ml is about a Capful)
Pour in 50ml of your Rum. I use Brugal Anejo, but if Supermarket shopping…Havana 3yo all the way
Take 12 decent Mint leaves in the palm of your hand, then smack them once and drop them into the glass.
Pour in your Sparkling Water
Plonk some Ice in till the drink is 2/3 way up the glass
Stir the drink to bring the Limes to the top
Top up with more Ice
et Viola!!

Again another common myth from the younger generation of Bartenders. There is no need to bash the crap out of the Mint by Muddling it! A simple smack between the palm of the hands releases all the aroma’s and flavour you’ll need!

Pimping it up;

Now you can have some real fun with Mojito’s. Here’s how you get known as the Daddy by all your mates…

By adding 5 Raspberries at the same time as the Limes and gently muddling, you have an Amazing Raspberry Mojito.

How about the pulp of 1 fresh Passion Fruit for a Passion Fruit Mojito?

How about swapping the Sugar Syrup for Vanilla Syrup (found in the Coffee Aisle) and adding some Blueberry’s for a stonking Blueberry & Vanilla Mojito.

Blackberries, Strawberries, Kiwi Fruit, Lychee Juice, Apple Juice.  Swapping the Sparkling Water for Prosecco. Swapping the Light Rum for Coconut Rum. The list is literally endless and only hampered by your own imagination!

Competition;

Don’t forget about my Competition from last week. To win a Thirsty Cocktail Kit…
click Here and scroll to the bottom!!

 

Pizza Gate

How do you cook this Pizza?!

I spent a few years working in Student Bars in Cambridge Uni (the proper one!). They’re a clever old bunch. We’re talking A* at A-Levels, as opposed to Bs &Cs. As well as serving drinks, part of my job role was to also teach these kids important Life Skills. You know, Please and Thank you, Putting money in your hand as opposed to leaving it on the Bar. That kind of thing…

As well as being a pretty awesome Bartender, I’m also kinda useful in the Kitchen. My Cheesy Beans on Toast is a culinary masterpiece. So one day when a budding Junior Doctor…the ones who save lives…phoned the Bar asking for Cookery instructions, of course I was only too willing to help him out.

“StB, I got this fresh Pizza from Sainsburys, how do I cook it?”

A doctor remember…

“Well mate, just follow the instructions on the pack. Preheat the oven, then remove all the wrapping and pop it in the oven. About 180 degrees should be okay for 10-12 minutes.”

The lad couldn’t mess this up…

How wrong?! 15 mins later, the phone rings again. Fire Alarms going off in the background and a panicked doctor on the other end…

“what’s up mate?!”
“the Pizza caught fire, there’s smoke everywhere!!”
“What do you mean the Pizza caught fire?! You’ve only been at it for 10 mins or so!! Did you remove all the wrapping?”
“yeah, of course I did. I ain’t stupid”
“So what could catch fire then?!”
“It looks like the white plastic base has melted all over the oven!!”

Wow. That’s the future of the NHS folks. I won’t tell you which hospital he’s now at. I’m just thankful it isn’t Addenbrookes!