The marshmallow craze, the baffling DIY wine critic, the case for doggy bags

• “Bouquet of Nerds candy” good; “notes of Bazooka Joe gum” bad. So says the populist, DIY wine critic Gary Vaynerchuk, who has broken out of YouTube into the wine-tasting big leagues , according to the New York Times. Old-fashioned vinophiles have no idea what to do with the guy. He once wrapped a smelly old gym sock around asparagus to demonstrate how a good Burgundy bottle should smell. [New York Times]

• Marshmallows are going glam across the country as confectioners churn out airy cubes in flavours like pumpkin and coffee. Leading the trend: Toronto’s own Nadège Patisserie, who stormed into town this summer with the gin and tonic marshmallow. [Globe and Mail]

• On the opposite end of the food-trend spectrum is black garlic—a fermented, specially aged treatment of the staple bulb. Already a hit in the States after it was featured on Iron Chef America and Top Chef New York, the bandwagon delicacy is now in Toronto thanks to Mark McEwen . He’s already sold 60 pounds of the stuff since his eponymous shop opened in June. [Toronto Star]

• British food heroes like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall are urging Englishmen and –women to pluck up their courage and ask for doggy bags at restaurants. Packaging leftover food has a stronger stigma across the pond than it does here, but enviro-gourmets want to change that, arguing that brushing away leftovers contributes to the food waste problems. [Guardian]

• European nations have united to have the bluefin tuna temporarily listed as an endangered species. Overfished for a decade, the move is sure to delight environmentalists and horrify sushi fans the world over: 90 per cent of the world’s catch ends up in Japan beside a little wasabi and soy sauce. [Independent]