Cook the bacon in a 4.5-quart soup pot slowly over low heat. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Chop once cooled and reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings.

Wipe any dark spots from the pot but leave as much bacon remnants as you can.

Add reserved bacon drippings and butter to the pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and celery, tossing to coat and soften for 5-6 minutes.

Add the garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute.

Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously until the raw flour smell is gone.

Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously. Add the half and half in the same manner.

Stir in the chicken bouillon and add the bay leaf. Add the juice from the canned clams to the soup, then stir in the additional clam juice.

Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes, partially covered.

Peel and dice the potatoes and add them to the soup. Let the potatoes cook through for 20-25 minutes until fork tender. Reduce heat to low.

Stir in the clams and let them heat through for about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with roughly chopped parsley, freshly cracked pepper, and chopped bacon.