It seems Dunedin is Ed over heels for Ed Sheeran as ginger mania sweeps the city.
Residents are going to great lengths to create tributes to the English singer-songwriter who arrives in the city next week to play three shows.
Local patissier Blake Haines has created an Easter "Egg Sheeran" dessert, available for a limited time at his St Andrew St dessert bar and cafe Sabayon.
His partner and Sabayon co-owner Ally Kearsley had the idea for the egg, which combined Sheeran’s favourite Oreo cookies with Mexican chocolate as a reference to his passion for Mexican cuisine.
In an allusion to Sheeran’s many gold and platinum records, he sprinkled edible gold powder over the egg, which was filled to the brim with orange and ginger mousse in a tribute to the singer’s trademark red hair. Mr Haines hoped Sheeran would enjoy an after-dinner treat at his dessert bar, which had recently opened. "We’ve spent a lot of time sending him Instagram messages.
"We’d love if he came in!"
Down the road at Gardens New World, staff have created an entire "aisle of Ed Sheeran".
The display continues the red-haired references, featuring Jaffas, Crunchie bars, Fanta, ginger beer, ginger kisses and gingernut biscuits.
Shop manager Greg Roberts’ family has tickets to one of the shows.
He said the supermarket was preparing for the more than 100,000 Sheeran fans expected to visit the city next week, and added it was not just sweet food in the Ed-aisle.
"We’ve even got carrots to make sure there’s something healthy."
Kavanagh College head of commerce and doll-maker Jill Armstrong has made an Ed Sheeran doll, complete with a shock of red hair and detailed tattoos based on photos of Sheeran’s arm sleeve designs.
She hopes to hand over her Sheeran doll in person.
"I would like to personally give Ed the doll as a gift from Dunedin."
Ms Armstrong said she felt an affinity with Sheeran because as a child she too had red hair and thick glasses. Like Sheeran, she had also experienced bullying.
"It was extremely unpleasant and unsettling and I can empathise with Ed."
If Sheeran heads to Brighton he can eat a likeness of himself in gingerbread form.
Tracey Grubb, of the Brighton Beach Cafe,
said she would be thrilled if the singer stopped at the seaside community to sample one of her ginger-Ed-men.
"We’d love him to come out and sit on the grass and play us a wee tune."
