4 hours ago, Norm Matthews said:
I read once, quite a while ago, that wheat is grown in the northern part of China.
Wheat is the main staple in northern China; rice in the south. Wheat is extensively grown, not only in Xinjiang, China's westernmost province where Turpan is located, but even more further east. All Chinese wheat is relatively low in gluten compared to North American or European wheats.
Northern China is where staples such as 包子 - steamed filled buns, 馒头 - unfilled steamed bread, 饺子 - jiaozi dumplings, 煎饼 - savoury wheat pancakes etc originated and these are still a main part of the diet. Noodles here are also wheaten whereas in southern China, noodles are predominantly rice. Xinjiang is indeed noted for its dried fruits, especially grapes.
While some cakes are made, they are vastly outnumbered by and the north better known for its savoury wheaten foods.
