The day’s bounty yielded a wide variety of mushrooms. Russula, seen in the foreground, comprised the largest portion. There are about 1,000 species of russula, explained John Mikesh, that can only be distinquished by their dust-like spores under a microscope. Even though they are favored in eastern Europe, they typically aren’t eaten in Minnesota. Some have a mild taste, some chalky. Russula are pickled and eaten as a Christmas treat in Siberia. (Shannon Geisen)