 This dish is an altered version of macaroni gratinen, not a traditional one. Here's a traditional Haitian mac and cheese recipe. - 1 box of macaroni - 1/2 lb of ground beef - 1/2 teaspoon of salt - 2 tablespoons of olive oil - 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil - 2 eggs - 3/4 cup of evaporated milk - 1/2 cup of mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons of ketchup - 1 cup of cheddar cheese Set the oven to 350 degrees. Boil the macaroni with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Put the olive oil in a pot and sauté the ground beef with it until cooked. In a bowl, eggs, evaporated milk, mayo, ketchup and cheese. Mix the above ingredients in with the macaroni. Add more cheddar cheese to the top. Bake for 30 minutes.  
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In 2010, husband and wife team, Endy and Diana, started The Real Haiti travel blog to show the world the other side of Haiti through their experiences. Now parents of 2 young boys, the couple has expanded The Real Haiti to include teaching resources on Haiti and the Haitian culture.
About Us We are a husband and wife team who live in Florida with our two boys. We started traveling to Haiti regularly over a decade ago and The Real Haiti blog was born in 2012. We were selected as winners of the former Minister of Tourism's rebranding contest with the slogan, "Experience It" or "Se La Pou'w La!" We were given a plaque by former President Michel Martelly and attended a special ceremony to launch the official logo and slogan. Mission The mission of The Real Haiti has always been to educate others about Haiti and all of the amazing things that she has to offer. Because the news generally focuses on the negative, we were motivated to start sharing encouraging pictures, videos, stories and memories about Haiti. While we still share the beauty of Haiti, The Real Haiti has become much more than sharing pretty pictures. The Real Haiti has become the missing link between you and Haiti. We are industry leaders in connecting you to people, places and things in Haiti! Need a photographer in Haiti for hire? Don't know where to start in planning a trip to Haiti? Not sure how to ethically import goods for your business? We can help! Who is The Real Haiti for?
We are so passionate about sharing the Haitian culture with you. Let's work together to show the world The Real Haiti!
I was asked to be a guest writer on Brand-Haiti.org. Check out my exclusive blog post - www.Brand-Haiti.org - about how I got to meet President Martelly!
BrandHaiti is a global student led non-profit business marketing organization that re-brands Haiti’s negative image through highlighting the country’s strengths and comparative advantages to foster pro-Haitian business investment and revitalize a non-exploitative economy. June 1, 2012 Logo and slogan winners Today I was featured in ManManPemba.com, a blog about food, nightlife, events and shopping in Haiti! MMPB : Hi Diana, can you present yourself to the readers of the Pemba City Blog and share with us what made you participate to the contest organized by Minstry of Tourism ?
Diana Pierre-Louis : Hello readers! I am a public relations/social media marketing professional and founder of www.TheRealHaiti.com, a blog about the other side of Haiti that goes underreported. The Real Haiti is more than a blog, it’s a movement to educate followers by seeing stories from other Haitians or Haitian diaspora on positive memories, experiences, or places in Haiti. I know that once people learn more about Haiti and what it has to offer as a tourist destination, they will come. I participated in the contest organized by the Ministry of Tourism because I am a lover of travel and a lover of Haiti. I want people to see the beauty in Haiti. Each person and project to educate people about Haiti is one step closer to helping Haiti’s tourism. I thought this contest was a wonderful way to engage people and it really exposed Haiti in a positive way. It’s amazing to see the positive publicity that the country has received over the last month. This is just the beginning to a great start encouraged by the Ministry. MMPB : Could you explain why did you choose the slogan “Experience it” ? Why did you think this would be a good slogan to promote Haiti Tourism ? Diana Pierre-Louis : It’s funny, I came up with it by saying, “I don’t know how to describe Haiti, you just have to experience it!” It was a heartfelt statement that I made that shortly became the slogan for the country. I chose “Experience it” because it truly takes an experience in Haiti to appreciate the country 100%. There is so much to do, to see, to hear, to feel, to eat…these are all experiences. I couldn’t have come up with this slogan if I hadn’t visited Haiti before. I am hoping that this slogan speaks to foreigners so that they will experience Haiti and then tell their family and friends. In a digital world, word of mouth advertising is still the most effective! MMPB : According to you, what are the main strengths and weakness of tourism sector in Haiti, what are the main challenges to make Haiti a destination choice, rather than DR, Bahamas, etc ? Diana Pierre-Louis : Haiti is different. Haiti is authentic and real. Haiti is a place that people fall in love with the minute they get there. I have been to almost every island in the Caribbean. There is no other like Haiti. This is a huge benefit for the country in promoting and maintaining tourism. Now that there is an ambitious, dedicated team that is working on improving tourism, I know that it will soon be on the list for Caribbean destinations next to the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Jamaica. The logo and slogan are finally a way to identify Haiti and make a connection to it in a positive way. So many people love Haiti and this “brand” was well needed. Now it’s time to highlight the culture, food, music, art and so many great things about Haiti to get visitors to come. There’s a saying in marketing, “If you build it, they will come.” The biggest challenge that I’ve noticed in the hotel industry in Haiti is the lack of online feasibility. Some hotels are doing a perfect job in representing their brand online with a website and communicating on social media. However, it’s still nearly impossible to book a reservation online in any hotel. Although it might cost money to invest in a program or staff for this, it will be well worth it. (Americans) are used to instant gratification. If the room rates aren’t listed online and you have to call or email for information, people will lose their attention and go away frustrated. That might result in fewer visitors. It needs to be as easy and quick as possible so that they book right when they are on the website. Although it’s ok for me because I know it’s worth, first time visitors won’t have the same feeling and might pick a different country to visit because it’s just easier. Making Haiti a choice as a destination is the first step. If hotel and tour packages get listed on Expedia, Travelocity, or Orbitz for example, people will finally see it as an option. Then, convincing the tourist that it’s safe and most importantly different than any other island, is the next step. This can be done online with professional pictures, videos and reviews of past travelers. This has already started on tripadvisor.com, on social media (and this blog!). However, you can only find the information if you’re specifically searching hotels in Haiti. The information needs to be more prevalent on websites that tourists go to for searching for a destination when they are trying to decide where to go. Diana’s 5 favorite places in Haiti : Caribbean Supermarket: I love this supermarket because I can get my favorite coffee creamer to put in my Haitian coffee…just kidding. I love this store because there is a great variety of products and goods. Although there are imported brands, there are many authentic foods and drinks to buy. It is very affordable, clean, organized and customer friendly. Hollywood: This restaurant/club is such a gem. I visited it twice on my last vacation to Haiti. It has blazing cold air conditioning, great Haitian food, great music and a huge dance area. The staff treated us with true Haitian hospitality and made us go back the second time. Auberge Au Picolet Restaurant (Cap-Haitien): Although I didn’t stay at the hotel, I did eat lunch at the restaurant. The atmosphere is great with a sea breeze and view. The service was very good and the food was great! The curry chicken was wonderful! Quartier Latin: This is hands down my favorite restaurant that I’ve ate at so far in Haiti. It is charming, historical, romantic and delicious. The service is always good and always great food. I love the notes on the walls in the bathroom from visitors. It shows how much people love Haiti. Moulin Sur Mer: One of the most charming hotels in Haiti. I felt like I was staying at a family members house. I felt welcomed and at home! Although the rooms are a little are small, they are beautifully decorated as authentic gingerbread style and very comfortable. Visit the Ogier-Fombrun Museum located near the entrance of the hotel. There’s no tour guide, but you’ll be able to see lots of history and learn a lot! Or, check it out here! What an experience it was to meet the former president of Haiti, Michel Martelly! We participated in a special ceremony with President Michel Martelly and the Minister of Tourism Ms. Stephanie Villedrouin for the official logo & slogan launch. Our slogan "Se la pou'w la" or "Experience It" was chosen as the winning slogan for Haiti's official tourism campaign.   From left to right: Endy, (former) President Michel Martelly and Diana  From left to right: Diana, Minister of Tourism, Stephanie Villedrouin, Logo winner, Xavier Delatour  The ceremony ended with President Martelly and others dancing to a RARA band. The whole night was magical. An EXPERIENCE that we will never forget. Thank you to the President and the Ministry, again, for their generous prize and their support. We had the time of our lives. A night we will cherish forever.  Our gift, a hand beaded flag from the President, which now hangs in our home.                More photos on Facebook.com/TheRealHaiti
As I get older, I look back on the historical impact that our family has made and I am proud to know we have contributed to helping other see a different view of Haiti. In June of 2012, my husband and I had the chance in Haiti to express how and why we chose "Experience it" as a slogan at the ceremony for the tourism contest rebranding celebration (3:55 mark in video).  |
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