Life is too short to spend the day peeling shrimp or messing with crostini — and God knows you deserve to enjoy your cocktail hour without fixating on the oven timer. That's why this dressed-up charcuterie plate is worth a place in the rotation. Forget about appetizers that ooze and steam. In two simple steps, you can create a spread as dramatic as a Flemish still life. First, stop by your local specialty food shop and fill your cart with a sampling of cured meats (herbed sausages, finely sliced prosciutto, fancy salamis), cheeses (a tangy goat, an aged Parmigiano, a virtuous fresh ricotta), bread in assorted textures, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, and cornichons. Then at home give yourself five (yes, five) minutes to lay it all out: Arrange the meats and treats on a cutting board, and surround it with small bowls of powerhouse mustards. Supply plenty of knives and spreaders, and your guests will do the rest.