HB wrote:PeterG once suggested letting the milk sit a short spell and then doing the thunk / swirl thing to reincorporate them. In competition, baristas will frequently swirl the pitcher in a small circular motion on the countertop. It keeps the motion repeatable and controlled, especially when you're nervous. I've never tried transferring between pitchers like competitors routinely did last year, but I think the same technique could be applied. Abe commented on this in USBC Barista Competition - Competitor Debriefing:

Abe Carmeli wrote:Tricks I learned from the pros

If I learn only one thing from an espresso jam I consider myself lucky. During the judges certification workshop, we were served drinks by two USBC Champions, Bronwen Serna & Phuong Tran. Both terrific baristas.

Avoiding Crema Bubbles

Bronwen is famous for her cappuccinos, and here's what makes her shine: Often, a cappa will show crema bubbles. This may not affect the taste so much as it affects the visual. To avoid crema bubbles she drops a little foam to the cup and immediately starts swirling and banging it on the counter as one would do with a steaming pitcher. After she is happy with the result she pours the rest of the milk.

A perfect cappuccino by Bronwen Serna served during the judges certification workshop.

Pouring Even Cappas

This one comes from Intelligentsia. Ellie, Amber & Matt all used it. The problem with using one pitcher to pour two cappuccinos is that the first pour will have more foam than the second. To avoid it, pour some of the foam into a 2nd pitcher before you pour your first cappa. Then use that foam to top off your 2nd pour.