Chowder isn’t exactly a summer dish, but summer is the best time to get fresh, sweet corn on the cob for bargain prices at your local grocery store or farm stand (not yet, but soon!) Remember that chowder is always best served the day after it’s made — I made this one while working on another dish, and set it aside for the next day so the flavors had a chance to really marry.

This recipe calls for canned potatoes, not just because sometimes we all get a little lazy in the kitchen. I was actually trying out a tip from Ian, who had been told and found it to be true that canned potatoes hold up better to heating and reheating in a stew or chowder than fresh potatoes. I found it to be true, too! And who doesn’t love a little time-saver now and then?

This was also a lesson in tasting your food as you’re cooking it. Because it contains bacon and canned potatoes, I was being conservative with the salt, and I didn’t taste it until I was about ready to serve it. It was too sweet! Between the cream and milk neutralizing the salt and the sweetness of the corn, I’d completely undersalted it. So let that be a lesson to you, as it was to me. If you think you know how your dish tastes, double check.

Corn Chowder

6 ears fresh corn, cut from the cob (don’t forget to scrape the good bits out too!)

1 quart half & half

1 quart whole milk

1 onion, chopped

1/2 lb bacon, chopped

2 cans of potatoes

1/2 stick butter

In a stock pot, render chopped bacon until it begins to get crispy, then add onion and cook until softened. Add half and half and milk, then corn, and bring just to a boil. Turn the heat down and cook on a low simmer until corn is cooked and add butter. Add potatoes (you may need to cut them smaller than they are in the can) and add last. Refrigerate overnight and reheat on the stove for best results.