From Merriam Webster:<p>&quot;(2) :  a comparable range, quality, or use of available elements &lt;a rich palette of tones and timbres&gt; 
<i>&lt;a palette of flavors&gt;</i>&quot;<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.merriam-webster.com&#x2F;dictionary&#x2F;palette" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.merriam-webster.com&#x2F;dictionary&#x2F;palette</a><p>-<p>A &quot;palate&quot; means a gourmand&#x27;s ability to distinguish complex flavors.<p>A &quot;palette&quot;, when used in culinary writing, is a common analogy between a chef&#x27;s selection of spices and an artist&#x27;s choice of color.<p>In this case they are talking about the available selection of spices used in Sichuanese cooking. Not the Sichuanese people&#x27;s ability to taste spicy food.<p>-<p>Examples:<p>New York Times - &quot;In a single block you can find a dozen different chilies in a Mexican grocery, an artist&#x27;s <i>palette</i> of spices in an Indian market, and restaurants, endless restaurants.&quot;<p>Huffington Post - &quot;These can include smoked or unsmoked bacon, juniper berries, mustard, beef stock, brown sugar, white sugar, flour for thickening, bread for thickening, pain d’épices (a sort of gingerbread but with a more colorful <i>palette</i> of spices), thyme, and, very occasionally, garlic.&quot;<p>New York Times - &quot;It takes a starring role in prahok ktis, with ground chicken and the national spice <i>palette</i> of galangal, ginger and lemon grass, served with vegetables to dip ($17.95). &quot;<p>Business Insider - &quot;Thankfully, wine stoppers exist, and can help you save your Pinot for later without ruining its flavor <i>palette</i>.&quot;<p>Scientific American - &quot;Due to heat processing, the flavor <i>palette</i> now includes a malty, burnt note from 2-methyl-butanal, along with much more pyridine odor and furfural, a sugar decomposition product smelling of grain and sawdust.&quot;<p>Forbes - &quot;That translates well to the Italian-contemporary flavor <i>palette</i> at Culina. The very lengthy new menu ranges from delicate crudo and vegetarian ...&quot;