It’s been almost two years since I last reviewed products from my favorite honey company and this time, Sam from Zane And Zack’s Honey Company has sent me something I’ve been long anticipating…spicy cream cheese!

When I first got Sam’s products in for review, I was working for EA Games out in Los Angeles. Every Monday, the company would buy us a huge basket of bagels and cream cheese. My favorite thing to do with Sam’s products was slather them on top of a freshly toasted bagel with cream cheese. Well, it looks like Sam was listening because I now have his sauces signature taste infused into two separate cream cheeses!

Zane and Zack’s: Leandra’s Chipotle Cream Cheese Spread Ingredients: Cream Cheese, Jalapeno peppers, honey, water, vinegar, garlic, salt, spices.

Let’s start out with Leandra’s Chipotle Cream Cheese Spread. Usually Sam’s sauces are named after his children, this (and actually the Hellfire…unless that’s in reference to one of his kids) is for his nephew (I believe). First thing I have to comment on is that “Cream Cheese” in the ingredients is not expanded upon which I believe is a requirement. This is some nice looking cream cheese, bone white with small chunks of ingredients throughout the cheese.

This tastes FANTASTIC! Instant cream cheese smoothness with a taste of honey that builds. Following that is the Chipotle, then the garlic, and what I want to say is some basil. The heat hits in the front of the tongue mainly and stays very consistent. A nice little zing, but nothing that’ll hurt you.

Leandra’s Chipotle Taste: 9.5, Heat: 2

Zane and Zack’s: Hellfire Habanero Cream Cheese Ingredients: Cream Cheese (Pasteurized cultured milk and cream, salt, stabilizers (xanthan and/or carob bean and or guar gums)), Habanero peppers, carrots, honey, vinegar, garlic, salt, spices.

Now onto Hellfire Habanero Cream Cheese which does have “cream cheese” expanded upon in the ingredients. I absolutely love the label on this one, it matches what you would expect from a Habanero based product. The appearance of this product is in complete contrast to the Chipotle Cream Cheese. This has an almost peach colour (see, I can be fancy, I spelled color with a “u” which confuses the heck out of my spell check program) and little dots of red/orange Habanero.

Once again, smooth cream cheese up front with a nice honey sweetness, then the Habaneros come on full force in both flavor and heat. There is also a signature carrot crunch and flavor as well with the garlic falling into last place on the flavor wheel. While this does satisfy my heat lust, it’s a little lacking in dynamic flavor.

While the Leandra’s Chipotle seems to have bold levels of flavor and complexity, the Hellfire seems almost 1 dimensional. It’s still a good product but maybe some more spices are in order? Not sure. But like I said, the heat is here and it’s right up front. Center of the tongue burn along with a full on back of the throat grab.

Hellfire Taste: 6, Heat: 6.889

Anything that you would use cream cheese for should be substituted for these products. Want a great bagel in the morning? Use these. Appetizers for guests? Take some crackers, slather a little bit of Leandra’s Chipotle Cream Cheese on it, put a piece of Salmon over that, and then add a grain or two of Danish Smoked Sea Salt. Want to be lazy but still need some protein? Get a spoon and eat it out of the jar! Let’s hear it for Honey infused fiery foods products! Woohoo!