Antonio Longo is an ambitious young man with a mission: maintain the production of the high-quality that were once so popular in the area. “My grandfather had six hectares of fig and olive trees, but after his death they were uncared for until I started to work them again. Many people have stopped growing figs here”, he says, “as they require a lot of work at harvest time, but I have gathered enough growers to supply my company”. Longo started Santomiele six years ago, working with local women from his village. He sun-dries the figs on the roof of his house on large flats baskets, then works them in a variety of delicious ways for some really upscale sweetmeats.

“Our  figs are unique: they are very sweet and more tender and fine-seeded then coarse Turkish, Greek, or Calabrian figs you usually find in the market, “he explain. “the best come from the comuni of Agropoli,Prignano and Ogliastro Cilento”. He has gained a reputation not only for his attractive packaging, but especially for the high standards of his figs and fillings. If you stop into deliciously perfumed laboratorio, you will find ladies stuffing the figs with cinnamon, almond, lemon zest, walnuts, pistachios and chocolate: all irresistible.