The Food for Thought 'ohana comes through again: Three different readers have sent me recipes for Buzz's Pickled Onions, as requested by Marilyn Beardsley a few weeks back.

But here's the catch: All the recipes are different! Not radically different, but not exactly the same, either.

Charlene Chapman called to read me the recipe over the phone from a clipping she had showing a picture of Buzz's cook at the time, Al Hanawai.

An anonymous reader sent me a clipping with the recipe as described by Buzz's Original Steak House owner Bobby Lou Schneider (now Yeackel).

And Claudia Osborne wrote with the recipe, which Buzz's allowed to be included in the first edition of Le Jardin Academy's "Kailua Cooks" cookbook 15 years ago.

The recipe uses not Maui onions, but small white boiling onions. (I don't see why you couldn't use Maui or other onions — just cut them into eighths.)

As with any pickling recipe, to assure safety, follow the recipe exactly, never dilute vinegar (and use vinegar with at least 5 percent acidity) or reduce salt or change quantities. Be sure to sterilize the jar or jars: Wash first in hot, soapy water; then rinse and pour boiling water over all.

The second of these recipes employs the fermentation method of pickling, in which the onions are cured in a brine at room temperature for a period of time. Without this step, the full flavor won't develop.

Here are two versions:

Small Batch Buzz's Onions (as sent by an anonymous reader): Peel 5 pounds small white boiling onions; leave whole. In a large glass jar, combine 4 cups sugar, 1 cup Hawaiian salt, 1 quart water and 1 1/2 quarts white vinegar and stir or shake well. Place onions in jar. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the jar, then screw the lid on tightly. Place upside down in the refrigerator for 48 hours before using. Onions will keep in refrigerator for several months.

Makes about 6 quarts.

Big Batch Buzz's onions (from Le Jardin book): Peel 12 1/2 pounds small, white boiling onions; leave whole. Place in 3 gallon jars. Mix together 10 ounces Hawaiian salt, 24 ounces sugar, 2 gallons water, 1 quart white vinegar, 2 or 3 Hawaiian chili peppers, seeded. Pour over onions. Seal jars tightly, turn over and let sit on lid at room temperature for a week. Refrigerate.

Joan Dobbs, who supervises nutritional analysis for The Advertiser, offers the following generic nutrient count that applies to most pickles; a specific report would require chemical analysis.