All you need to do to have users with cookie-capable browsers retain session context is enable the Cookies directive. You can then intermix standard HREF and MiniVend page links without fear of losing the shopping basket. Cookie capability is also required to use search caching, page caching, and statically generated pages. If the browser does not support cookies, the cache will be ignored.
If you plan to use more than one host name within the same domain for naming purposes (perhaps a secure server and non-secure server) then you can set the domain with the CookieDomain directive. This must contain at least two periods (.) as per the cookie specification, and you cannot set a domain that your server is not located within.