Carniolan sausage
The Carniolan sausage (; , , Italian dialect of Trieste: "luganighe de Cragno") is a Slovenian sausage similar to what is known as kielbasa or Polish sausage in North America. The noun "klobasa" refers to a small sausage generally served whole (in contrast to "salama") in Slovene. The adjective "kranjska" derives from the region of Carniola ("Kranjska" in Slovene, "Krain" in German), which used to be a duchy of the Austrian Empire. The earliest mention of the Carniolan sausage in German is found in Katharina Prato's renowned cookbook "Süddeutsche Küche" (South German Cooking, 1896, first edition 1858). The Slovene term  kranjska klobasa was first mentioned in the sixth edition of "Slovenska kuharica" (Slovene Cookbook) by Felicita Kalinšek in 1912. The Carniolan sausage contains at least 75 to 80% pork (aside from bacon) and at most 20% bacon. It may contain as much as 5% water, the sea salt from Sečovlje salt pans, little garlic, saltpetre and black pepper. No other ingredients are permitted. The meat must be cut in small pieces 10 to 13 mm and bacon 8 to 10 mm. The filling is stuffed into pork intestine with a diameter of 32 to 36 mm. They are formed in  pairs of lengths and a weight of 180 to 220 grams. Pairs are linked together with a wooden skewer. The sausages are hot smoked and heat-cured at about . Variations and preparation. The "Käsekrainer" is a variation of this sausage made with small chunks of cheese – it contains 10% to 20% cheese (e.g., Emmentaler) cut into small cubes. "Käsekrainer" were first made in Austria in the early 1980s. they are a standard offering at sausage stands (Würstelstände). "Käsekrainer" can be boiled, baked or grilled. It is essential to keep them on low to medium heat; otherwise the outside may get  burned and the inside remains cold. Care should be taken when preparing them, because the cheese can become quite hot; the sausages should not be cut or poked while cooking, otherwise the melting cheese would be released. The sausage can be served with mustard, ketchup and a piece of dark bread; or – in the most common form in Austria – as a "Käsekrainer-Hot-Dog". (By "Hot Dog" Austrians mean the bun, not the sausage.) The bread used is somewhat similar to a French baguette, but shorter ( long) and has different texture and a recipe, hence not called a baguette but  a bun. The bun is cut open at one end and a hole is poked into it with a warm metal rod. The next step is to put sauce in the hole. Austrians usually select from the following three sauces: sharp mustard, sweet mustard and ketchup. Often the choice is ketchup and one – or even both – of the mustards. In the late 1940s and the 1950s post-war immigrants from Croatia and Slovenia introduced "kranjska klobasa" into Australia, where it became known as "Kransky". Cheese Kransky is very popular in Australia and in New Zealand. Protection regime. In January 2015 , Slovenia successfully entered it into the register of protected geographical indications (PGIs), despite objections by Austria, Croatia and Germany.