Darlene is an alien who looks quite a bit like a porcupine, and is originally from a moon that orbits the planet Leyode.  She landed on Earth in the summer of 1980, just south of Los Angeles while scouting for worlds that had recently discovered electricity.  A broken part on her ship caused her to be marooned for three years, during which time she found a nice family who protected her from discovery.  She found herself enjoying Southern California, and even learned to cook in the style of the thriving fast food culture there with ingredients that were compatible with her naturally vegetarian diet.  After her rescue and return home, she recreated Earth dishes for fun and then for business.