If you have the patience to persist with the fiddly business of shelling enough Beech nuts to make it worthwhile, then they do actually make an excellent substitute for Hazel nuts. They can also be used as a very palatable cooking oil (similar to Olive oil) that will, when mature enough, also double as an effective fuel for use in lanterns.I like eating the kernels raw and sometimes save a few to crush and sprinkle on cheese to grill lightly on toast when I’m away in my motor-home. We were taught how to make a very basic type of bread from them using just an ordinary camp fire and to make coffee too….though I’m not particularly fond of nut-based coffee substitutes and generally prefer teas brewed from tree saps.