Get out all your ingredients and bring a large pot of 6-8 cups of salted water to a boil. Shuck the corn, and when the water is boiling, drop in the ears of corn. Boil for 3 minutes, then remove them (don't dump the water) and rinse under cool water. When cool enough to handle, slice off the kernels and set them aside.
Into the pot of boiling water, add the 1/2 onion, chopped carrots and celery, the smashed cloves of garlic, peppercorns and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for at least 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the chowder.
In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, melt a tbsp of oil and butter. Add the bacon, and cook until beginning to curl but not browned. Add in the other vegetables including the potatoes and the thyme and stir to coat in the fat. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften but not so far that they fall apart, about 10-12 minutes.
Strain the solids out of the corn stock and pour on top of the vegetables and bacon (you may or may not want to use all of the stock you've made.) Add a bay leaf and corn and cook for 15 more minutes to combine the flavors.
Remove the bay leaf, and pour half of the chowder into a blender and blend till smooth, and then pour back into the pot and stir. Add the cream, and remove from heat. Taste to adjust seasoning, and serve warm!
