You're a bit off on your information. 1) Yes. You need Orange spices. Amount depends on how much you need. 2) You need Brown for herblore. 3) Random effects, same spices. 4) For Smithing you need stews with 3 orange spices. For Herblore you need stews with 3 brown spices. Keep in mind these can also lower your skills, so bring lots of spices and stews, and be prepared to wait.