Corn Chowder

you'll need:
4-6 ears worth of corn kernels
   fresh farmers' market corn is the best, of course, but frozen corn works fine too. 
4-6 potatoes, chopped
   I generally use russets for their texture, but red ones or purples are fun
1 medium onion, sliced
   red, yellow, white, shallots, leeks...whatever you got/want! 
1 red pepper, diced
   any color will do 
2-6 slices bacon, cooked up & crumbled
   optional, but you know what they say about fat! (fat = flavor) 
6-8 cups stock 
4 cups milk 
2-4 Tbsp butter or 1/2 - 1 cup roux (recipe below)
1 tsp paprika 
1/4 tsp white pepper 
1/4 tsp ground cloves 
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg 
1/8 tsp cardamom 
salt & pepper to taste
around 2 hours (45 minutes solid work time) 
Serves 6-8. 

Saute onion in butter until translucent.
Add stock & bring to boil.
Add potatoes & bring back to boil.
Add milk & bring to simmer.
Add pepper, corn, bacon & seasonings.
Simmer.
Add cold roux to hot soup & stir well. Let cool.

Roux Recipe: Use equal parts flour & fat.

Melt butter or rendered bacon fat (do not brown). Slowly add flour, whisking
constantly. Correct consistency (like frosting) with more flour or more butter
as needed. Let cool.
Only add cool liquids to hot roux (always slowly, always whisking) or cool roux to
hot liquids. I usually stir in some half & half to help cool the roux, then add it
to the hot soup.
Roux will freeze for 2 months.