[Sca-cooks] Marzipan and Chocolate question...

[Ratboy]

Now I probably won't get this for about 2 hours or more but hopefully
someone will know and hopefully someone who has worked with Marzipan
will know as well.
2 Questions
    1. What is the date Chocolate came into being found in our
period....?  I know that there is huge arguments over this about yes or
no I just need to know if the date was before or after 1487?  My wife
seems to think that it was being imported from the West Indies, but
based on the bruhaha I hear about it I don't want to chance it.
    2. How easy is Marzipan to use in a cookie press?  I basically want
to pipe it out like icing but if ya'll say that it is darn near
impossible, then I will not waste money on buying any almond paste.
    3. Ok so I lied make it 3 questions.... And IF you had to buy Almond
paste because you absolutely didn't want to fool with making it yourself
THIS TIME, AND You don't convieniently live near the Marzipan Goddess
herself, Which commercially available brand for the common everyday Joe
in South Carolina would you buy?

Thanks for ya'll's (hmm possessive plural version of ya'll???)help in
advance!!!
Nichola

PS. Olwen any help you can provide is greatly appreciated.