Summer sweet corn revival

Sweet corn is sunny and yellow, storing up in its sugars the energy of the grilling-hot summer sunshine. In the winter, looking at the sweet corn from August that I stored in the freezer is a reminder of when I enjoyed longer hours of daylight, farmer's markets and CSA boxes and seeing green growing things outside.

In Bloomington-Normal, the arrival of the sweet corn harvest is cause for a public celebration. In the photo, I'm at the Sweet Corn Blues Festival in Normal, eating an ear of the crop that covers our county and listening to blues music. I bought a sack of corn at the latest festival to take home. This week, on the day of the first snowstorm of the winter season, I made a soup from some of that corn to bring back a little of summer's warmth.

Corn Chowder
recommended vessel: stockpot of at least 8 quarts

4 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp flour (for a thicker soup, use 4 Tbsp)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
8 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried epazote
1 tsp cumin powder
2 pounds sweet corn kernels
2 cups soy milk (unsweetened) or dairy milk (for a thicker soup, use cream)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat butter with the oil in the stockpot. Cook the carrots a couple of minutes, then add the onions and cook a couple of minutes, then add the bell pepper. When the vegetables start to become tender, sprinkle with flour and stir well. Add stock and scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly to pull up any flour stuck to the bottom. Add potatoes and spices. Bring to a rapid boil, then turn down the heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. Add corn and milk and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Possible garnishes: yogurt/sour cream and chopped chives, chopped fresh basil, sliced scallions, drizzle of cumin-infused olive oil