The number of culinary mss preserved indicates an extensive interest in food and cooking in the Middle Ages. Food also appears in other texts, though rarely defined clearly: 'all of the best' is a common expression. However, in Joinville's The Life of Saint Louis, eating is presented as both social interaction and as a deliberate exclusion from a social context. Food and eating also serve as a reminder of time of year in a different climate, and as an example of the exotic and different world of Outremer. This paper looks at the various meanings conveyed in Joinville's text through food and eating.