Nearly 200 people from towns and villages across Central New York descended on Cazenovia this past Saturday, Jan. 26, to meet, have books signed by and taste the recipes of Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his partner Brent Ridge, popularly known as “The Fabulous Beekman Boys” — authors, entrepreneurs, stars of a reality cooking show and winners of the latest season of television’s “The Amazing Race.”

Kilmer-Purcel and Ridge did a special book signing event at the Lincklaen House to promote their recent work, “The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook.” The event also was a fundraiser for the Historic Cazenovia Business District committee of the chamber of commerce.

“What a beautiful town,” Kilmer-Purcell told the Republican as he and Ridge stood by the large fireplace of the Lincklaen House’s dining room signing books, while a long line of eager people waited their turns.

“What great people, and a fabulous turnout,” Ridge added as he waved a hand toward the three rooms full of people mingling, talking and tasting various Beekman 1802 cookbook recipes.

The event, sponsored by multiple local businesses, sold about 160 tickets before the event began and another 20 or so at the door, said program co-chair Linda Amaral. Initially, the HCBD had hoped to sell about 100 tickets, “so we exceeded our expectations,” she said.

“This is awesome, just awesome,” said Anna Marie Neuland, executive director of the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce. “This didn’t only bring out people in Cazenovia, but also from Sharon Springs, Munnsville, Tully, Syracuse, Canastota and Verona. It’s a great event for Cazenovia.”

The event was scheduled to run from 3 to 5 p.m., but so many people attended that Kilmer-Purcel and Ridge eschewed any opening remarks and went right into signing books by about 2:45 p.m. and still had a line formed around them after 5 p.m. In addition to their books “The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook” and Kilmer-Purcell’s New York Times best-selling nonfiction book, “The Bucolic Plague: How two Manhattanites became gentleman farmers: An unconventional memoir,” — of which they had sold more than 150 copies total by 5 p.m. — there also were Beekman 1802 t-shirts and coffee mugs for sale.

Attendees were treated to a tasting of recipes from the Beekman 1802 cookbook at five buffet-style stations around the first floor of the Lincklaen House, including deviled eggs with smoked trout, corn chowder salad, quick bread-and-butter pickles, beer-braised beef with onion dumplings and macaroni and cheese with mushrooms and kale.

“This is a good thing to do on a cold January day,” said Teresa Godiers, whose daughter, Kate Godiers, had brought her mother to the event and bought her a copy of “The Bucolic Plague” as a birthday present. “We watched them on ‘The Amazing Race,’” Kate Godiers said. “I didn’t think they were going to win but they did.”

Other “Amazing Race” fans who came to the Lincklaen House event were pre-teens Jessa Davidson and Sadie Tenenbaum, from Fabius, along with their mothers.

“We saw them on ‘The Amazing Race’ and are big fans,” Davidson said. “We got their autographs and cookbooks for our moms.”

“We met them before at the [Sharon Springs] Harvest Festival and we’re hoping to go again this year,” Tenenbaum said.

Also at the event were two of the “original Sharon Springs groupies,” Kathy Bunting, of Hamilton, and Marilyn Engle, of Oriskany Falls. “I’ve been fascinated with Sharon Springs for 20 years and all this [exposure from the Beekman Boys] is like a dream come true,” Engle said. “Everyone there is so nice, and it’s just a simpler way of life.”

“I never miss a chance to stop at Sharon Springs,” Bunting added.

At the end of the signing event, Kilmer-Purcell and Ridge were going to attend the Burns Night 2013 at the Brae Loch Inn, “and try the haggis,” Ridge said as his partner gave him a wary look.

Linda Hunt, HCBD program co-chair of the event said Kilmer-Purcell and Ridge plan to write a blog about their visit to Cazenovia and the Brae Loch’s Burns Night 2013. For more information about the Beekman Boys and their Beekman 1802 lifestyle brand, or to read their blog, visit Beekman1802.com.

Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].