02Carefully remove most of the silk by hand and then rub the ears with a towel to finish the job.03Cut the kernels from the cobs and place in a bowl.04You should have about 2 cups.05Using the back of your knife, scrape down the cobs and add the milky substance that oozes out to the corn kernels.06Heat a 3-to 4-quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced bacon.07Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the bacon is crisp and golden brown.08Pour off all but one tablespoon of the bacon fat, leaving the bacon in the pot.09Add the butter, onion, bell pepper, thyme, cumin, and turmeric and sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, until the onion and pepper are tender but not browned.10Add the corn kernels, potatoes and stock, turn up the heat, cover, and boil vigorously for about 10 minutes.11Some of the potatoes will have broken up, but most should retain their shape.12Use the back of your spoon to smash a bit of the corn and potatoes against the side of the pot.13Reduce the heat to medium and season the chowder with salt and pepper.14Stir the cornstarch mixture and slowly pour it into the pot, stirring constantly.15As soon as the chowder has come back to a boil and thickened slightly, remove from the heat and stir in the cream.16Adjust the seasoning if necessary.17If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder AFTER it has chilled completely.18Otherwise, let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour, allowing the flavors to meld.19When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; don't let it boil.20Ladle into cups or bowls and sprinkle with the chopped chives.