Warm the milk in a heavy pan on low heat.

Pan fry three-quarters pound of bacon in a Dutch oven or large heavy pan. Set the bacon aside to cool. Save out 1/4 cup bacon fat and pour the rest out to use for something else later. Return the 1/4 cup fat to the Dutch oven.

Add the flour to the bacon fat and stir until it's well blended. It will be thick. Continue to stir another minute or two.

While the bacon cooks, scoop the potato from the skin and mash. I like to leave mine a bit chunky for the texture.

Pour the milk into the flour and fat mixture, stirring continuously until the roue dissolves into the milk.

Stir the potato and 1 cup of cheddar cheese into the soup.

Crumble the bacon. Set aside 1/4 cup bacon and stir the rest into the soup.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Be sure to taste in case the bacon is quite salty.

Ladle into bowls. Top each bowl with a dallop of sour cream, some of the bacon and chopped chives. Enjoy!