By LYNNE ROSSETTO KASPER, Scripps Howard News Service

Dear Lynne: We went to our first Moroccan restaurant and had a soup with tomatoes, herbs and spices that was like none I'd ever eaten. (OK, so I don't do exotic, but this soup was different.) I know the name began with an "H," and that it had chickpeas in it, but that is all. We drank it from small bowls -- no spoons. Do you know what this is and how it's made?

Dear Lynne: My mother likes to give me unusual ingredients to cook with. Recently she came back from England with a jar of clotted cream. Should it go into sweet dishes or savory ones? And what is clotted cream? -- Shannon in Las Vegas

Dear Lynne: Spring is going nuts here and the lamb is, as you would say, "just fabulous." So I need a do-head lamb dish that won't be tasteless mush or so spiced you can't taste the meat. Italian would be the bomb. -- Harri from the Market

Dear Lynne: Before we learned anything about cooking we bought a deep fryer. The kitchen-shop woman said that no matter what recipes say, you can fry at about 350 degrees F as long as you don't crowd the pot. The fryer she sold us won't go above 355. Was she doing a sell job? -- Newlyweds in Weehawken

Dear Lynne: Normally I do everything from scratch and it occurred to me that I could probably make my own spice blends instead of buying ready-made ones, and end up with better quality. Your ideas for different types would be a great sendoff. Thank you. -- Brett

Dear Lynne: Why are boned chicken breasts dry and tough? Lately, I cooked them covered with water in the pan so they'd stay moist and the cat wouldn't eat them. --Frustrated and Going Broke in St. Louis

Dear Lynne: Living on a budget has me taking lunch to work for the first time. My own food is a lot better than what I used to buy for lunch, so this works. My question is about safety. Is it OK to keep my cold chicken and hot soup (packed in a sealed plastic container) at room temperature for a couple of hours, or to leave it in my car? -- Cutting Costs, Eating Better

Dear Lynne: While we were in Zanzibar, we went on a spice-plantation tour. At the end of the tour, I bought some true cinnamon and red curry powder. Now, I'd appreciate some new ideas for using cinnamon and for using red curry powder. I think it has coloring in it, because it's very red. It might be close to what is used in India to make the roasted Tandoori chicken.

Dear Lynne: I just found out that Seville oranges are really sour. They ended up in the grocery bag by mistake and I am too lazy to go out in the cold to return them. Is this the orange you use to make marmalade? -- Kelly in Minnesota

Dear Lynne: I like fast stir-fries when I get home from work and I like to cook with extra-virgin olive oil, but I've heard you shouldn't use olive oil for high-heat cooking, like frying. Is this true and, if it is, what oil should I use? -- Sally on Bainbridge Island