Did a little yolk slip into your pristine whites while separating your eggs? Don't fret; here's how to fix it.

Double-yolked eggs are reasonably common for ducks and chickens, despite the fact that we so rarely see them in stores. It is estimated that 1 in 1,000 eggs (out of 50 billion produced annually in the US) have double yolks. Eggs increase in size as the number of yolks increases, but most of them are caught by "candling," or holding the egg up to a light source to reveal a shadow of what is inside the shell, and used for other egg products instead of being mixed in with single-yolks. Stores that do offer the eggs usually have one local source for them. The chickens, ducks and other birds that lay them have a genetic tendency to produce the eggs, so if a farm is stocked with such birds, most of their eggs with have double yolks. The eggs are popular with anyone who likes yolks and are also believed to be good luck by many.

Far less common are multiple yolk eggs, including triples and quadruples, like the one pictured above. Apparently, the greatest number of yolks found in one egg was nine!

If you can't find any multiple-yolk eggs in your neck of the woods, you can always separate one egg, add the yolk to another, and save the white for later.

Here's a brand of wine that sounds perfect for adding a little extra spirit to your Halloween celebrations. Vampire Wines, produced by Vampire Vineyards, have the ideal look for a spooky gathering with not only an appropriate name, but a classy looking label, as well. The grapes are produced at the Recas Vineyard in Transvylvania (what did you expect - Napa?), which is rumored to be a legendary grape-producing region. The merlot rose is the "lead vampire winemaker's " and the most versatile of the offerings. The reds seem to tend towards fruity flavors that go well with meats, particularly red meats, while both the pinot grigio and chardonnay have citrus overtones and complement lighter dishes.

Even though they sell both red and white, but if you're going to buy a vampire wine, it seems natural to go with a red. After all, would any self-respecting vampire really be caught (un)dead with a glass of chardonnay when he could have a glass of dark red merlot?

You can order it online at the Vampire store.

When a recipe calls for just egg yolks or only egg whites, there is always a point at which you must decide whether to save or discard the leftovers. On one hand, eggs are fairly inexpensive and if you have nothing in mind for a few extra whites, it might not be worth the bother to save them. On the other hand, why waste a perfectly good egg white (or yolk)? The whites can be saved for souffles, cakes and omelets, while the yolks can often be used in baked goods, ice creams and puddings.

Yolks and whites have different storage requirements. Whites can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for several days. They can also be individually frozen by putting each into one section of an ice cube tray and defrosted when you are ready to use them. Yolks should be put into a bowl of water, covered, and used within one or two days.

Some folks just don't dig eggs. I'm one and I know there are plenty of us out there. I love chicken ( I doubt they love me) but the thought of eating their eggs makes me ill. I have cooked and baked with thousands of eggs because I was being paid. Paging Dr. Freud.

• Try arrowroot. Known for its easily digestible starch, it can be used to replace eggs in small batch recipes (4 or fewer servings). 2 Tablespoons= 1 egg

• Then there is always cornstarch: 2 Tablespoons= 1 egg.

• Potato starch is good, too: again, 2 Tablespoons= 1 egg.

• 1 heaping Tablespoon soy powder= 1 egg

These four substitutes are meant for use in baking. I have had good results using arrowroot and potato starch in German Potato Salad...but I wouldn't push it any further. When it comes to sauces and dressings, lump it or leave it.

If you can handle egg whites, try 1 tablespoon powdered milk and 2 or 3 whites. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring to make it look real. This would be for smaller, personal and experimental recipes like white omelets or glazes. Don't bother with meringues. If you have to make a pound cake or hollandaise, well, you probably don't have an egg issue. So crack 'em up and enjoy.

In China, eggs are sold by weight and their sale is often unregulated, particularly at local markets and in areas where the customers by large quantities at a time. Unscrupulous vendors have been known to pass off fake eggs to their unsuspecting buyers.

There are three types of faked eggs. The first are empty or cracked shells that are filled with soil. Since the eggs are sold by weight, a few soil-filled eggs in a crate will make it heavier and go unnoticed until it is too late. The second type of fake egg is the red-yolk egg. Because the redder yolks are considered to be more valuable and of higher quality, some egg-sellers feed their chickens very high quantities of food dyes, which causes them to produce red yolks without an increase in the quality of the egg or in the lifestyle of the chicken.

The most disturbing - though some might say disgusting - faked egg is the man-made egg.