Sweet Corn Chowder

Name: Sweet Corn Chowder
Ingredients: 8 ears corn, shucked; 8 bacon strips, chopped; 4 tbsp. (2 oz.) unsalted butter; 2 celery stalks, finely chopped; 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme; 1 bay leaf; 6 cups whole milk; 3 3 medium new potatoes (1½ lb.), peeled and cut into ½-in. cubes; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; ¼ cups thinly sliced fresh basil, for garnish