Hide This from Your Cardiologist

Credit: Koboko

What it’s called: Kaesekrainer (“kay-ze-kryner”), aka Krainer Wurst

What it is:  Smoked sausage made from a minimum of 68% pork, 12% beef, 10-20% Emmentaler cheese, and not more than 20% ham/bacon or 5% water.  Spices include seasoned salt, pepper, and garlic. 

What it tastes like: Similar to the American version of “Polish Kielbasa,” except it’s injected with Swiss cheese throughout.  Salty, a tad garlicky, and totally addictive (especially after a night on the town).

How to eat it: Very carefully.  The molten cheese can be explosive, so chomp with caution.  Like most delicious things, it is a bit of a mess.  Order it “hot dog”-style (inside a hollowed out mini-baguette) to save your clothing.  Traditional condiments include spicy mustard, freshly grated horseradish, or curry ketchup. 

Where to find it: Kaesekrainer has been popular at Austrian sausage stands since the 1980s, and hails originally from Slovenia (where, according to wikipedia, it is a national dish).  It is also popular in Australia and New Zealand, where it is known as the “kransky,” thanks to Slovenian immigrants who arrived there in the 1940s and ’50s.

If you can’t make it that far: You could try the “3 Cheese Bite” (cheddar, American, and mozzarella) at 7-11…but I wouldn’t recommend it.  Look:

Proof that some things just get lost in translation.

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