“What can I bring?” It’s the first question everyone asks when they get the party invite. And luckily, my new cookbook — this should be easy to remember, it’s called What Can I Bring? — has 75 solutions to that very-stressful question, including dips, drinks, salads, desserts, and a chapter of homemade food gifts when you’re told to “just bring yourself.”
But, of course, it’s not only about bringing something. Here are a few simple rules that, in my opinion, will make you not just a good guest but a great one.
1. Be honest. Make sure you’re committing to a dish that matches your dillydallying or extremely punctual self. If you’re always on time, bring appetizers. If you’re reliably late, bring a drink. If you’re bringing nothing else, bring a small present.
2. Come prepared. The best guests arrive with a dish that’s ready to go without needing a shelf in the fridge or a rack in the oven. Never show up expecting to derail your host’s careful game of culinary Tetris for something of your own.
3. Bring the cheers. Trust me, I am not above a bucket of seltzer and beer, or a sticky counter of alcohol with mixers. But if everyone shows up with a cheap bottle of bubbly, it literally becomes a Champagne problem. Try to bring a little vision to the drink you bring (my book has an entire chapter to empower you) — because in a room full of cans, we should all aspire to be the signature cocktail.
4. Say thank you. My friends Kyle Marshall and Julia Bainbridge are two of the most naturally elegant people I know. I once had Kyle over for a group dinner and Julia over for a small brunch. Two business days later, each time, there was a card sitting in my mailbox simply saying thank you. A thank-you card is an old-fashioned gesture that still lands in this century. Even if a card isn’t right for the occasion, a simple text goes a long way to making your host feel seen and appreciated.
5. End on a sweet note. My friend Emily once showed up to a movie night with warm cookies and a gallon of milk, and it was so effortlessly cool, I still haven’t recovered. Bringing a playful dessert is always the right answer.
So, on that note, as we head into summer, I’m going to share my secret-weapon, show-stopping, get-them-talking dessert: Mosaic Jell-O. Just promise me when someone compliments you on your impeccable taste, throw in a shameless plug for me: “It’s from What Can I Bring? by Casey Elsass. Have you read it?”
Mosaic Jell-O
From What Can I Bring? by Casey Elsass
Serves 10
Start this recipe 2 days ahead
Mosaic gelatin is an easy preparation of multicolored squares of cut-up Jell-O get mixed into a beautiful, milky-white cloak of gelatin, so they’re suspended like stained glass. My friend Vivian is a Jell-O fanatic, and I’ll never forget her eyes popping out of her head when I brought over this dessert-as-sculpture showpiece. If Jell-O is a perfect summer dessert (and it is, please don’t argue with me), then this is the perfect way to present it.
3 (3-ounce) boxes Jell-O, in different flavors and colors
7 packets unflavored gelatin (look for the 1-ounce box of Knox unflavored gelatin next to the Jell-O. Each one has four packets in it, so get two boxes)
Nonstick cooking spray
½ cup cold water
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
Whole milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Arrange your Jell-O flavors from lightest to darkest color. (This way you can do one batch right after the other without having to stop and wash your bowl.) Starting with the lightest, pour the powder into a medium bowl. Add 1 packet of unflavored gelatin and whisk until they’re combined. Boil water, then measure out 1 cup and pour it into the bowl. Whisk until the powder is completely dissolved, then whisk in 1 cup of very cold water. Pour the mixture into a quart container, cover, and refrigerate overnight so the Jell-O is completely set. Repeat with the other two boxes of Jell-O along with two more packets of unflavored gelatin.
The next day, run a paring knife lengthwise and crosswise in each container to cut the Jell-O into squares, then around the perimeter for an easier release. Use the knife to coax the Jell-O out and into a large bowl. It’s totally fine if there are a few small bits, it’ll just add to the mosaic effect. Take a moment here to very thoroughly coat a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick spray, then flip it upside down in the sink so the spray evenly spreads without pooling in the bottom.
Pour ½ cup cold water into a medium saucepan. Pour the remaining four packets of unflavored gelatin into the saucepan and whisk a couple times to mix. Set a timer for 5 minutes, or until the gelatin has hydrated into a solid mass. Pour in the evaporated milk. Fill the empty can halfway with whole milk (that’s ¾ cup, to be precise) and pour that in, too. Set the saucepan over low heat. At first nothing will happen, but after about 1 minute you should be able to start slowly whisking as the gelatin melts into the milk. Keep whisking for about 2 more minutes, until you have a completely smooth milk mixture. Remove from the stove and whisk in the condensed milk and vanilla. Let the mixture cool completely, about 15 minutes, then whisk again.
Flip the Bundt right-side up. Scatter a layer of Jell-O cubes along the bottom of the pan, mixing up the colors as you go, then ladle in the milk mixture until it’s almost covered. Keep alternating Jell-O and milk, but take it slow because each layer of Jell-O is going to displace the milk and make it rise farther up the pan. Fill almost to the top, leaving about 1⁄2 inch of space. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and carefully slide it into the refrigerator. Let it set overnight again.
To make sure the mold releases easily, fill a large bowl with warm water and slowly dip the Bundt in so the water comes about halfway up the sides. Hold it there for 2 or 3 seconds, then pat the outside of the Bundt dry, especially inside the center tube. Put the Bundt in one hand and set the serving plate on top, making sure it’s centered. Put your other hand on top of the plate and quickly flip. If the mold doesn’t drop onto the plate (It will! But just in case!), don’t panic. Lightly tap the plate on the counter. If that fails (It won’t! But just in case!), flip it back over, and take another dip in the water. Serve with a pie server or knife so everyone can cut their own slice.
Cover any leftover Jell-O with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Casey Elsass is a food writer, recipe developer, and cookbook author living in Brooklyn. What Can I Bring? comes out next week. His recipes have appeared on Bon Appétit, Delish, Epicurious, and Food52. In his free time, he enjoys attending the opera, eating his way around the world, and RSVP-ing yes to every party invite. Toby and I met him last summer and immediately fell in love — Casey is the real deal!!!
P.S. Five fun things we noticed at a drinks party, and seven rules for being a great dinner host.
(Photographs by Gentl and Hyers, food styling by Tyna Hoang, and prop styling by Stephanie De Luca. Recipes reprinted with permission from What Can I Bring? by Casey Elsass © 2025. Published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group.)
