Hi there and welcome!
I'm Nicole Branan, the cook, photographer and creator behind The Spice Train.
On this website I share recipes that focus on from-scratch cooking with herbs and spices. My goal is to help you use and enjoy the spices you have in your kitchen pantry.
I live in the greater Denver area and one of my favorite things in life is going up into the mountains, hiking through the snow and smelling the pine trees.
The beginning:
I started this website all the way back in 2013, when I realized that even though I had a pantry full of spice jars, I was only ever using the same handful of them. I had been adventurous and creative in the kitchen ever since I can remember but it wasn't until then that I started to learn about and experiment with spices. The more I learned, the more ideas I had. So I started this website as a way to catalogue the dishes I came up with.
Since then, my recipes have been featured on Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, House Beautiful, Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, Town & Country and Redbook. I also made the list of the 75 best food blogs in 2025 by Toast, Inc.
What readers are saying:
"This was so amazing that BOTH of my (adult) kids fought to scrape the bowl." -Chili Lime Aioli
"My husband and I love this sauce! We pair it with chicken, farro, and veggies. It's just amazing!" - Paprika Sauce
"I love making these! I make them at least twice a month! Get rave reviews from friends and family!!" - Mustard Rib Rub
"Your recipe was the best…first from scratch cake I ever made, turned out perfectly..!!!!! Easy to follow along. Thanks so much." -Chai Spice Bundt Cake with Rum Raisins
"A refreshingly excellent cake! I've fallen in love with cardamom over the past few years and this is an exemplary way to use it!!!!" -Lemon Cardamom Cake
"OMG!!!!!!!!!! So good!!!!!!!!!!! Next level, no, top level easy gourmet grilled cheese!" -Grilled Cheese with Bourbon Caramelized Shallots
"I would have doubled the recipe if I had known known how good these were!" -Roasted Lemon Basil Potatoes
"Omg….these pickles are the BEST!!!! They deserve more than 5 stars in my opinion." -Refrigerator Sweet Pickles with Cinnamon and Clove
How often can you expect new recipes here?
I used to share most of the recipes I developed but in recent years I've become much more selective about what I post on this site. I now only publish a new recipe if I think it is absolutely top notch. That means you can be sure that anything you find here is something I truly believe in!
How to contact me:
If you're interested in working with me or just want to say hi, send me an e-mail at nicole@thespicetrain.com!
Thank you so much for stopping by, I appreciate your interest!