[Zope] newbie Cookies vs something

Ok this is not really a zope issue persay but I am having difficulty with persistent data. I want to be able to use variable across pages but it seems like the only way I can do that is to use forms. But of course the variable dissipates after it is used. How can I keep persistent data. I have never used cookies and can't see how to integrate the cookie back into zope even if I do use it. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. - Bryan