Before digging in I looked around the table, unsure if they had a custom before eating. My mother and I never had, food was food, and we ate to keep our bodies fuelled so we could work to keep the roof over our heads. My grandparents had been quite religious and insisted on saying grace before every meal, even though my grandmother looked like she was worried I'd burst into flames each time. I didn't think my siblings would have any religious streaks, but I didn't want to start on my food until I was sure. I also noticed the varying degree of meal changes between dishes and wondered how...