A minor symbolism of cooking and teeth exists in the novel, teeth at least representing ferocity. (See the "dentist" speech in Chapter 3-9. ) Perhaps it alludes to the fact that the fundamental necessity of life -- eating -- can only be pursued at the expense of another living thing. In Nostromo Conrad presents the dream-ideal in identical terms: as a fundamental necessity of life that can only be pursued at the expense of others. Viola's cooking is explicitly associated with his idealistic cause below, and his imprecations against it "in general" accompany reflections on the failure of that cause.